Watch: SCG Crowd Roars In Appreciation As Jonny Bairstow Hits England’s 1st Century Of Current Ashes Series

Jonny Bairstow led England’s fightback on Day 3 of the fourth Ashes Test, scoring an unbeaten century to keep his team’s hopes alive of winning the match or drawing it at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). England were staring down the barrel at 36 for four when Bairstow walked out to bat. Together with Ben Stokes (66), the duo added 128 runs for the fifth wicket to ensure there was not another humiliating capitulation. While Stokes was dismissed by Nathan Lyon, Bairstow went on to reach his seventh Test hundred to take England to 258 for seven at stumps, still trailing Australia by 158 runs.

The SCG crowd got on its feet to applaud Bairstow’s gutsy hundred, which happened to be England’s first of the ongoing Ashes series. England Joe Root had come close a couple of times but had failed to reach the magical three-figure mark.

Jonny Bairstow brings up his century very very well played. Had the whole SCG crowd on their feet! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/NTw5hIobAq

— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) January 7, 2022

What an amazing ton. Courage under fire from Bairstow. Incredible stuff! pic.twitter.com/5JcWJ7hItZ

— Taylor Auerbach (@tauerbach) January 7, 2022

Brilliant Hundred from J Bairstow.
Loved the celebrations #Ashes2021 https://t.co/U8kluVFxMt

— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) January 7, 2022

Twitter too was buzzing with journalists, former players and fans lavishing praise on the Englishman.

For England, it was again trial by pace as Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland made life miserable for the English batters.

Starc struck first to remove Haseeb Hameed with Zak Crawley falling to Boland. The next two wickets of Joe Root and Dawid Malan fell in quick succession, as England once again found themselves in troubled waters at 36 for four.

Stokes and Bairstow bailed out their team but not without luck. Stokes should have gone early too but inexplicably the bails didn’t fall despite Cameron Green’s delivery hitting the off-stump.

The England all-rounder made full use of his good fortune, taking on the Australian bowlers despite being bogged down by a side strain. At the other end, Bairstow started slowly but came into his own, and kicked off after Stokes’ departure.

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After Stokes fell, Jos Buttler was sent packing for a duck and it seemed England would be made to follow-on. However, some lusty blows from Mark Wood, who along with Bairstow, added 72 runs off as many balls for the seventh wicket provided some respectability to England’s total.

At stumps on Day 3, the visitors were 258 for seven with Bairstow unbeaten on 103 and Jack Leach 4 not out.