SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES: Bethell Shines on Day 4
·24 min·1 clip
Jacob Bethell made 142 not out and batted with “enormous serenity” for England.
1. Cricket Et Al focuses on Day 4 at the SCG, where England reached 8 for 302 and Australia moved toward a 4-1 series win.
2. Gideon Haigh and Peter Lalor host the episode, with Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain appearing as meta commentary voices on the recording.
3. The episode asks what Bethell’s 142 not out and the Cricket Australia-ABC dispute say about this Test and the wider series.
4. Jacob Bethell’s 142 not out is described as “proper test match batting” and not “basketball razzmatazz.”
5. The hosts say Bethell made 15 boundaries and played with “enormous serenity” in his first handful of Test matches.
6. They point to his earlier 96 and 70 against New Zealand as evidence that his method is repeatable.
7. The conversation notes that Bethell was born in Barbados, had a grandfather who played for the West Indies, and moved to England at 12.
8. They also mention his time at Rugby School and his appearances for England Lions, which they treat as part of a fast-track rise.
9. Scott Boland’s spell is a major thread, with the hosts praising his “nagging length” and his 114 deliveries on the day.
10. Joe Root faced 24 balls from Boland and did not score, which the hosts present as a sign of how little Boland gave away.
11. Bo Webster is singled out as the day’s best bowler, taking three wickets despite being a part-time spinner.
12. The hosts describe one Webster delivery as turning so much that it looked like a wicket for a part-time spinner should not happen.
13. Ben Stokes’ early departure from the field is framed around a visible adductor strain and a limping return to bat.
14. Zach Crawley’s dismissal to Mitchell Starc is mentioned as another familiar England setback.
15. The day’s other major subject is Stuart Clarke’s criticism of James Allsop, George Bailey, and Cricket Australia’s high-performance structure.
16. The hosts say Cricket Australia then denied the ABC a post-match interview after Clarke’s remarks, which they call an unnecessary reaction.
17. They argue the dispute exposed a thin-skinned dressing room and diverted attention from the cricket itself.
18. The tone is conversational, blunt, and heavily referential, with interruptions, side jokes, and live reaction from the SCG.
19. Listeners interested in Ashes cricket, selection politics, and bowling analysis would get the most from this episode.
20. Listeners wanting a neutral match report without media-politics discussion may skip it.
