Jacob Bethell form gives Brendon McCullum selection ‘headache’
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Brendon McCullum admits Jacob Bethell has given England a selection dilemma, leaving vice-captain Ollie Pope battling to keep his spot. Bethell made a compelling first impression during his first Test series in New Zealand, hitting three stylish half-centuries in as many games, and the 21-year-old looks every inch a rising star.
And while that is a huge positive for an England setup which has made a point of promoting young talent, it could force a tricky decision next summer. Bethell was only given his chance at number three after an injury to Jordan Cox left England short of a wicketkeeper, with Pope agreeing to step in and slide down the order.
But with Jamie Smith set to reclaim the gloves following the birth of his first child, Bethell and Pope could be vying for one place next year. Captain Ben Stokes has previously stated that Pope would go straight back in at three, a role where he has enjoyed sporadic highs and several lean spells, but Bethell’s knocks of 50 not out, 96 and 76 appear to have made things less certain.
“He’s definitely given us a good headache but we’ve got a couple of months to work out what we’re doing. It’s good problem to have,” said McCullum. “We were all a little unsure whether Beth could play at three when we asked him to do it but we saw the talent in him and he has performed very well against a very good bowling line-up. He has a nice bit of class about him.
“He’s very meticulous with his preparation and planning which then lets his flair and creativity show on the big stage. We couldn’t be more happy with what he has achieved in this series and I think he has shown that international cricket is for him.
