A white-ball homecoming awaits Jacob Bethell but the England newcomer has outlined his dream: to play Test cricket. It is a refrain heard from most players but carries weight when spoken by a 20-year-old thriving in the lucrative shorter forms.
Bethell, who was born and raised in Barbados, was named in the limited-overs squad on Wednesday to tour the Caribbean in October and November, having made his debut in the ODIs and T20Is against Australia last month. The left-handed batter was at his most impressive in England’s T20 win at Cardiff, his 24-ball 44 including some brutal hitting against the opposition’s premier bowler, Adam Zampa.
“It’s nice to tick off two of them but the best one’s yet to come hopefully,” said Bethell. “Test cricket has always been my dream and I know it’s taken a different shape in the last three years but, definitely, that’s still my dream, to play Test cricket for England.”
After impressive turns in this year’s T20 Blast and Hundred, Bethell has yet to establish a red-ball record of serious note with Warwickshire. Eleven County Championship appearances this year brought 466 runs at 31.06, while his left-arm spin returned seven wickets at 69.42. “I made my role clearer this year in the white-ball stuff, but at the minute I’m still very adaptable in red ball,” he said.
“I haven’t really found a place where I’ve gone, ‘Right, this feels like home in terms of a place in the batting order’. That could be anywhere from opening to batting No 7. Especially with bowling off-spin, I’m hoping that I can get into a team being a genuine all-rounder.”
Reflecting on his first outings as an international cricketer, Bethell found pleasure at finding “a level that I didn’t feel uncomfortable at”. He said: “Especially with the bat, I felt really at home so it reaffirmed that I was ready for it and ready for what’s to come.”
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What is to come is a trip back to Barbados, where England will play three matches. “All my friends have already bought tickets,” said Bethell. “I’m hoping I don’t get booed too much as I’ve seen Steve Smith in his last few games and every time he walks out to bat it’s like the end of the world. I’m only saying that as a joke. There’s a whole lot of support coming around.”
