“If you had told me I was going to have a three-fer with a spin, I would have taken it. It was satisfying to have a run.”
Australia were heavily criticized for not playing a spinner and the sight of Webster’s double was proof that even for the part-timer there was enough purchase on the SCG surface to justify the tweaker’s inclusion.
In the 50th over of England’s second innings, Webster removed Harry Brook for 42 with a beautiful delivery that swung sharply outside the off-stump and hit Brook on the back foot. Australia reviewed the not-out decision on the field, with the DRS showing three reds and prompting a jubilant celebration from Webster and his teammates.
When Will Jacks hit Webster leg and was superbly caught for a duck by Green – who had earlier dropped Ben Duckett at second slip – England slumped to 5-219, their lead reduced to 36.
Webster finished the day with 3-51 from 13 overs, his best figures in a Test, to push Australia to the top of a victory that would have sealed the series 4-1. Assuming there’s no disaster on day five, Thursday will look like a modest chase.
“They’re always on tap when you need them,” Webster said of his breaks. “[I was] I was lucky enough to rough it out a bit and get a few bitten.’
Jacob Bethell celebrates his first Test ton.Credit: Getty Images
England’s shining light was Bethell, who reached stumps unbeaten on 142 despite being involved in a disastrous run-out with Jamie Smith (26).
Bethell played just four first-class matches last year, scoring 20 and 12 against Somerset in June before playing the fifth Test between England and India at the Oval.
He featured in England Lions’ match against Australia A last month before being called up for the Boxing Day Test.
Bethell, who is highly regarded in the England set-up – primarily for his white-ball prowess – was limited in the amount of red-ball cricket he played.
“They are always there if you need them.
Beau Webster on his practice breaks
“I love playing for Warwickshire and coming home to them, but I don’t think it really needs to be first-class cricket if I’m playing cricket all year round,” Bethell told a post-match press conference on Tuesday.
Bethell’s 673 runs at 23.17 from 20 matches for Warwickshire hardly point to Australia’s first Test century, although the peroxide blonde hair and free-flowing attitude gave Kevin Pietersen 2005 Ashes vibes.
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Bethell came in at No.3 and became the fifth Englishman – and the first specialist batsman – to reach his first Test first hundred, after Henry Wood, Jack Russell, Stuart Broad and Gus Atkinson. The last Australian to do so was Mitchell Johnson against South Africa in 2009.
Ian Botham called Bethell a “star of the future”, while Broad described him as a “diamond” that England had discovered.
That the century came as a dead rubber is a small asterisk, but Bethell will return to Australia better equipped and armed with the tools to face an attack that could look very different next time.
Only Alastair Cook, aged 21 years and 357 days, has scored a younger Ashes set for England in Australia.
“It’s pretty weird. It’s not completely sunk in yet,” Bethell said. “To be honest, it was always coming. It’s nice to hit a milestone.”
The state of the game means Usman Khawaja could bat again in his last match, but he told the ABC after the game that he was unlikely to open the batting.
“I’d just like to get those runs. It’s not going to be easy,” Khawaja said.
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