The 21-year-old Jacob Bethell smashed a half-century on his debut during the England tour of New Zealand in 2024 and has said that he had not been given the ‘surprise’ invitation to do so by England.
The 21-year-old has not batted above No. 4 in his first-class career. Since September, he had enjoyed in England’s priority lane by ticking off T20I and ODI caps against Australia and West Indies, registering three white ball centuries against Windies.
“[It was] a hell of a lot of fun yeah,” Bethell said. “And to walk off with Rooty [who made 23 off 15] at the end there was pretty special.
“To come out in the second innings and have a chance to walk off with an England win was at the forefront of my mind and luckily I was able to do that.”
The second innings speed run was in keeping with how England attack smaller targerts. Barring a thick inside edge to get him off the mark, the other eight boundaries were real statements shots.
“I was very small growing up so I didn’t really get a lot in my half up until I was about 16 or 17 when I got a bit bigger,” he said.
“I never had as much power on it but I could still play it well. And now it’s just a decision on whether to hit it on the ground or hit it for six.”
Conditions were tough, New Zealand’s seamers up and at them. Bethell backed himself, but managed just 10 from 34 balls.
“That’s part of the game, isn’t it?” Bethell said. “I saw it [as] if I got through to lunch, it looked like a different pitch after lunch. It does help when you’ve got Harry Brook batting, he makes it look quite easy.
“Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket, I remember watching the Ashes, and just any England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it.”
“I think it could have been a different story, I battled hard and unluckily didn’t make it through to lunch but another day you get through and go on to make a big one.”
Ben Stokes singled out those 34 deliveries after the match rather than the half century, clearly buoyed by the way someone so young owned his space during those first 49 minutes as a test batter.
“If he sticks to having that attitude, that swagger about him, I’m pretty sure he’s going to be alright,” Stokes said. “Pretty much every time I’ve played against better people, I’ve played better,” he said.
“Step up to the Hundred, played better. Straight into internationals, played better. I didn’t really have a doubt in my mind that coming into Test cricket that I’d have done well.”
England still considers Pope as no.3 and the man himself spoke forcefully that he still wants to make the position his own after his innings saving 77 on day two.
“I like batting up the order so, yeah, I was really happy that opportunity arose,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to bat in the top four so three is perfect.
“I think my game is fit to play any style. On Sunday we saw a bit more of an attacking style. I can also absorb a bit of pressure, so I’m sure at times in my career there will be times to do that as well.”
Following the conclusion of the Test series, he will head to Australia to fulfill his overseas commitments with Melbourne Renegades. He is one of the 12 England players who were sold during the IPL mega auction.
He has been sold to a ransom of 245,000 Euros due to which he will be missing the first seven rounds of Warwickshire’s County Champioship campaign.
“It’s a bit of a given, isn’t it?” Bethell said, with a wry smile. “Virat! He’s a great of the game so… King Kohli.”
Like all young players at the premier Franchise competition, he wants to be a sponge. “Any kind of overseas player that’s gone over there has come back with a wealth of experience.”
His first taste of longest format has him craving more. With an Ashes tour on the horizon, England’s successful 2010-11 tour was his formative series.
“It’s everything I’ve dreamed of to be honest,” Bethell said of Test cricket. “Since I was a little kid I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket, I remember watching the Ashes, and just any England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it.
“And then since Baz [Brendon McCullum] took over with Stokesy, I’ve always watched it on TV and gone ‘how fun that does that look’ and it lived up to expectation. It was so fun.”
Coming to the series, England leads the series 1-0 and will be playing their second match startin on December 06 at Basin Reserve.
