Bethell’s Record Century Powers England Past South Africa in ODI Thriller

  • September 7, 2025

In a noteworthy development for England cricket, rising star Jacob Bethell achieved his first century in the 50-over format. The 21-year-old’s superb performance happened during the final game of the ODI series against South Africa at The Rose Bowl in Southampton. This significant achievement is particularly remarkable as it represents Bethell’s inaugural century across all forms of professional cricket, including First-Class, List A, and T20 matches. His contribution was critical for the England team, paving the way for a competitive total.

Jacob Bethell achieves his first international century

Bethell’s initial ODI century displayed a blend of calculated aggression and skillful batting. After openers Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith constructed a stable platform with a 59-run partnership, Bethell entered the game when the score was 117/2. He then received strong support from the seasoned Joe Root, and together, they created a substantial 150-plus partnership. While Root prioritized rotating the strike and steadily building the innings, Bethell took charge of accelerating the scoring, achieving the century milestone in a quick 76 deliveries. This achievement further exemplifies his impressive statistics in his relatively short ODI career. In a mere 15 games, Bethell has amassed over 450 runs with a solid average exceeding 42 and a strike rate approaching 100. This century marks his fifth score of 50 or more in ODIs, with two of these performances occurring against the Proteas, demonstrating his consistent performance against a challenging opponent.

Bethell secures his place in the record books

Through his outstanding innings, Bethell has secured his spot in the record books, becoming part of a distinguished group of England cricketers. At the age of 21 years and 319 days, he became the second-youngest England batter to achieve an ODI century, moving ahead of Craig Kieswetter and trailing only the renowned David Gower. Additionally, his innings set a new benchmark by becoming the highest ODI score by an England number 4 batter against South Africa, surpassing the previous record of 107 held by the 2019 World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan. The 82-ball, 110-run innings also earned him the eighth position on the list of highest individual scores for England against South Africa in ODI cricket, a list that includes several prominent English players, including Jos Buttler, who holds the top position. Bethell’s dominant and record-setting performance not only strengthened England’s total but also solidified his standing as a promising young talent with a bright future in international cricket.

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