Rock-solid Jacob Bethell plundered a chanceless maiden Test century Wednesday as England reeled in Australia then built a tenuous 119-run lead to leave the fifth and final Ashes Test on a knife edge.

Fast bowler Jofra Archer was included in England's provisional T20 World Cup squad Tuesday, despite suffering a left side strain that ruled him out of the final two Ashes Tests.

Jacob Bethell was not supposed to be England's headline act in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but he looked like a player who belonged when the tourists made their nervous chase for victory against Australia.

England batter Jacob Bethell is unsure if his first hundred in international cricket in Sunday's one-dayer against South Africa has opened the door to the Ashes squad but the 21-year-old is confident he would not let anyone down if given the opportunity.

England vice-captain Ollie Pope has retained his place at number three for the first Test against India, meaning rising star Jacob Bethell must wait for his return to red-ball internationals.

England completed a series win over the West Indies with a game to spare after chasing down a target of 197 in the second T20 international in Bristol on Sunday.

There has long been talk over whether Bethell, recently returned from IPL duty, will go straight back into the Test side for the upcoming five-match series with India.

The 21-year-old Bethell made 51 in the opening defeat last week, but was missing on Sunday as India took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Cuttack.

In just his ninth ODI, and with England on 111-4, Bethell stuck it out with Buttler in a 59-run stand that raised hopes of a fighting total.

Barbados-born Bethell, who made his T20 and ODI debuts against Australia last month, has only featured in 20 first-class matches and has a modest batting average of 25.44, without a century in any form of professional cricket.