Bethell to bat at three on England Test debut

Jacob Bethell will bat at number three on his Test debut in England’s series opener against New Zealand in Christchurch on Thursday.

Bethell, 21, plays after wicketkeeper Jordan Cox was ruled out with a broken thumb.

As a result, regular number three Ollie Pope takes the gloves and slides down the order to number six, with captain Ben Stokes at seven.

Warwickshire left-hander Bethell has impressed in white-ball cricket for England, but was a surprise selection for this tour.

Joe Root, England’s all-time leading Test runscorer, told BBC Sport: “The way his game sets up suits Test cricket. I’m really looking forward to watching him go out there and play. It’s a really exciting time for him.”

Root’s father Matt and Bethell’s father Graham were team-mates in club cricket for Sheffield Collegiate.

“I’ve known him and his family for a long time,” said Root. “I saw him play when he was 11 or 12 years old and I could tell then he was already a very accomplished player. It’s been really pleasing seeing him grow up, make his way at Warwickshire, then more recently in the white-ball stuff show everyone what a brilliant player he is.”

Bethell’s elevation comes after he secured his first Indian Premier League contract, with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

He has never made a century in senior professional cricket and not batted higher than number four in his 20 first-class matches.

“There are a number of players where their game is set up better for Test cricket than first-class cricket, Michael Vaughan being a great example of that,” added Root.

“I don’t think you can read too much into it. He’s not really found a spot at Warwickshire – he has been in and out of the team and up and down the order slightly.

“This is a great opportunity for him, a blank canvas in a position where he can really put influence on the game. He can just go play, enjoy it, and I expect him to do just that.”

Bethell is the latest bold selection call from England, who arrive on the back of three defeats in their past four Tests following a 2-1 series loss in Pakistan last month.

The first Test at Hagley Oval (11:00 Thursday local time, 22:00 GMT Wednesday), begins a three-match series, with games in Wellington and Hamilton to follow.

Cox was due to make his own debut as regular keeper Jamie Smith is on paternity leave, but broke his right thumb in the nets during England’s warm-up game in Queenstown over the weekend.

With no specialist reserve keeper in the tourists’ squad, Pope will stand in behind the stumps, as he did during England’s tour of this country in 2019, and in Pakistan two years ago. Durham’s Ollie Robinson is expected to be called up in time for the second Test.

Brydon Carse, impressive in his first Test series in Pakistan, joins Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson in the pace attack, with Shoaib Bashir retained as the frontline spinner.

Skipper Stokes, who struggled in Pakistan after returning from a hamstring injury, plays in the city of his birth, while Root becomes the fourth Englishman to reach 150 Tests.

New Zealand pulled off one of the all-time great victories in their last Test series, a 3-0 win in India.

They have former captain Kane Williamson back from injury, and uncapped seamers Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy vying to make a debut.

For the first time, the series between these two teams will be played for the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy, in honour of New Zealand legend Martin Crowe and England great Graham Thorpe.

Thorpe, who made 6,744 runs in 100 Tests for England, took his own life in August aged 55. The left-hander made his highest Test score in Christchurch – 200 not out at Lancaster Park in 2002.

Crowe was New Zealand’s highest Test scorer with 5,444 runs when he ended his career in 1995. He died of cancer at the age of 53 in 2016.

The trophy is made from bats used by each player. The bat gifted by the Thorpe family is one with which he made hundreds in consecutive Tests against New Zealand in 1997, while Crowe’s is from a century he made at Lord’s in 1994.

England XI for first Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (captain), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.