You sensed it was coming.

After nine half-centuries across the formats for England – including three in his debut Test series last winter and a 28-ball ODI fifty at Lord’s on Thursday – Jacob Bethell finally hit three figures.

Three days after his cameo in the capital, the 21-year-old was the star character in Southampton, cinching a century from 76 balls against South Africa with a four through the covers.

Speaking afterwards, Bethell said: “It’s just goosebumps, as soon as I laced it in the gap. It couldn’t have hit more in the middle of my bat and it raced [away]. It was a bit of a blur. It was a great feeling, an addictive feeling and hopefully more to come.”

Not only was Bethell’s riotous 110 from 82 deliveries against the Proteas his first England ton but also his first in professional cricket.

Up to now, he has been a guy of potential – enormous potential – rather than numbers. And his numbers prior to that swashbuckling Lord’s fifty had been low.

Bethell ends lean run with ODI excellence

A knock of one in the ODI series opener followed a duck in his final game for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, a tournament in which he averaged 20.33 after totalling 122 runs in eight innings.

Those white-ball toils came after two incredibly scratchy efforts in the final Test of the summer against India at The Kia Oval – his second-innings five off 31 balls was particularly ghastly – but they were perhaps to be expected. He had hardly played.

England kept Bethell with the Test group this summer as back-up batter and occasional substitute fielder but he would perhaps have been better served spending time in the middle with county side Warwickshire, something the player himself has admitted.

For young cricketers still honing their craft regular reps are crucial, as Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton has said frequently while discussing Bethell’s struggles this year.

There are certainly still things for Bethell to polish but his Southampton hundred showed just why England have fast-tracked him into their set-up, despite many suggesting he has been given too much too soon.

“I don’t listen to what people say, added Bethell: “It was nothing to do with other people – I wanted it for myself and the team.”

‘A player of flair and preparation’

Yes, he perhaps should have been removed for 44 on Sunday – Nandre Burger suffered a case of butterfingers at mid-on – but around that reprieve the England starlet mixed reverse-sweeps with classical drives and towering sixes as he amassed 16 boundaries.

There were no signs of the nervous 90s as Bethell went from 91 to 95 with a neat clip off the pads and from 97 to 103 by arrowing Burger away for the moment that induced those goosebumps.

The talent is there and so is the temperament.

England head coach Brendon McCullum told Sky Sports of Bethell: “As much as he is a flair player on the field and wants to put opposition teams under pressure, he is very well planned off it and has a good head on his shoulders as well as incredible talent. He is a great conduit among different age brackets and personalities.

“We know he is not the finished article and there may be times you don’t get the output you are after but he has shown he can seriously play at this level. Even versus the best in the world he can step up.”

Bethell to score 40 hundreds across the formats?

England batter Joe Root, with whom Bethell shared a stand of 182, said: “[Jacob] is wise beyond his years and very clear how he wants to play. He has some wonderful options to take down different bowling types so hopefully he will go from strength to strength, keep entertaining and keep playing match-winning innings.”

We knew the talent was there, we just hadn’t necessarily seen it. But at Lord’s and here he was sublime. He manipulated the field beautifully and is a crisp striker of the ball against spin and pace. I hear he has a mature head, and he has a bright future.

England quick Jofra Archer, whose 4-18 shredded South Africa for 72, added of Bethell: “He’s got the world in front of him. He’s still young and he’s got more than enough time to do wonders in cricket. There’s so much to be excited about and he’s only 21.

“I’m not a big stats person but he could go on and have about 40 hundreds in all three formats by the time he retires.”

Forty would be quite something. One is a nice start.

England vs South Africa – results and fixtures

All games live on Sky Sports, all times UK and Ireland 🕰️

• First T20: Wednesday September 10 (6.30pm) – Cardiff
• Second T20: Friday September 12 (6.30pm) – Emirates Old Trafford
• Third T20: Sunday September 14 (2.30pm) – Trent Bridge