Jacob Bethell

Jacob Graham Bethell (born 23 October 2003) is an English cricketer who plays domestic cricket for Warwickshire, and international limited overs cricket for England. Bethell was born in Barbados and moved to Warwickshire, England, when he was 12.^[1] He made his Warwickshire Twenty20 debut on 20 June 2021, in the 2021 T20 Blast.^[2] He made his England Twenty20 debut on 11 September 2024, against Australia at the Rose Bowl, Southampton.^[3] On 9 November 2024 he scored 58 not out in his third T20I match, against West Indies, in his birth country of Barbados, in so doing becoming the youngest Englishman to score a 50 in a T20 international, at the age of 21 years and 17 days.

Jacob Bethell

Personal information
Full name	Jacob Graham Bethell
Born	(2003-10-23) 23 October 2003 (age 21) Barbados
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Slow left-arm orthodox
Role	Batting all-rounder
Relations	Arthur Bethell (grandfather)
International information
National side	England
ODI debut (cap 275)	19 September 2024 v Australia
Last ODI	6 November 2024 v West Indies
T20I debut (cap 102)	11 September 2024 v Australia
Last T20I	17 November 2024 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2021–present	Warwickshire (squad no. 2)
2022	→ Gloucestershire (on loan)
2022	Welsh Fire
2023–2024	Birmingham Phoenix
Career statistics
Competition ODI T20I FC LA Matches 8 7 20 24 Runs scored 167 173 738 506 Batting average 27.83 57.66 25.44 25.30 100s/50s 0/1 0/2 0/5 0/4 Top score 55 62* 93 66 Balls bowled 120 18 1,062 612 Wickets 4 0 7 19 Bowling average 36.00 – 96.14 30.05 5 wickets in innings 0 – 0 0 10 wickets in match 0 – 0 0 Best bowling 2/33 – 4/20 4/36 Catches/stumpings 2/– 2/– 16/– 7/–
Source: Cricinfo, 17 November 2024

Early life

Bethell was born and raised in Barbados,^[4] where his family had a long involvement with cricket.^[5] His grandfather, Arthur Bethell, played first-class cricket for the national side.^[6][7] He attended Harrison College,^[8] whose alumni include Sir Clyde Walcott and Sir Pelham Warner, and was awarded player of the tournament in the West Indies Under-15 competition in 2017. By this stage he had already earned a scholarship at Rugby School, where he was coached by their director of cricket and former Warwickshire captain Mike Powell.^[9] In 2021, he scored 202 in the first innings of Rugby School’s annual two-day fixture against Marlborough College, a modern day record.

Domestic career

Bethell played cricket with Warwickshire from a young age, and signed a three-year professional contract with them in January 2021.^[10] Former Warwickshire captain and England cricketer Ian Bell described him as "the best 17-year old" he had ever seen.^[11]

He made his List A debut in the 2021 One-Day Cup, for Warwickshire against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on 22 July.^[12] He made his first-class debut on 12 September 2021 at Headingley, for Warwickshire against Yorkshire in the County Championship.^[13]

In April 2022, Welsh Fire paid £30,000 to add Bethell to their squad for that year's season of the Hundred.^[14][15]

In July 2023, he was drafted into The Hundred by the Birmingham Phoenix.^[16]

Hé took his maiden first-class wicket on 15 April 2024 at Edgbaston, for Warwickshire against Durham in the County Championship.^[17]

International career

In September 2021, Bethell was named as the joint-captain of the England under-19 cricket team for their series against the West Indies.^[18] Bethell was named vice-captain of England's team for the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies,^[19] where he scored 88 from 42 balls in the side's quarter final victory over South Africa.^[20] In December 2022, he was selected for the England U-19s to play Australia in January 2023, under head coach Michael Yardy.^[21][22]

Bethell made his senior international debut at Southampton on 11 September 2024, in the first game of a three-match T20 series against Australia. In the second fixture at Cardiff on 14 September, he scored a "match-winning" 44 of from 24 balls.^[23] On 28 October, he was named in the Test squad for England's tour of New Zealand in November and December.^[24][25]

On 9 November 2024 in his third T20I match, against West Indies, in his birth country of Barbados, he scored 58 not out - in so doing becoming the youngest Englishman to score a 50 in a T20 international, at the age of 21 years and 17 days.

References

1. Gibbons, Craig (13 January 2021). "Jacob Bethell signs three-year professional contract at Warwickshire CCC". Stratford-upon-Avon Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
2. "North Group, Chester-le-Street, Jun 20 2021, Vitality Blast". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
3. "Jacob Bethell". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
4. Patel, Adam (4 February 2022). "U19s Cricket World Cup final: Jacob Bethell's journey from Barbados to Warwickshire". BBC Sport. London. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
5. Wigmore, Tim (15 September 2024). "Bethell has weapons to make mark on Test stage". Sport. The Sunday Telegraph. No. 3299. London. p. 10. Retrieved 15 September 2024. (Online article, published a day earlier, has a different title).
6. Henry, Matthew (13 September 2024). "Impressing Lara & golf with Sobers – England new boy Bethell". BBC Sport. London. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
7. "Bethell gets tongues wagging at Bunbury festival". The Cricketer. Vol. 15, no. 13. London. September 2018. p. 100.
8. Ponsonby, Cameron (15 November 2024). "Harrison College: How Barbados school system was the making of Salt and Bethell". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
9. Dobell, George (6 January 2021). "Warwickshire teenager signs first professional contract as Caribbean talent drain continues". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
10. "Warwickshire sign up Jacob Bethell to professional deal". The Cricketer. London. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
11. Dobell, George (6 April 2021). "Essex the team to beat once again – Warwickshire". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
12. "Lukas Carey seals the spoils for Glamorgan in two-wicket win". ESPNcricinfo. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
13. Hoops, David (12 September 2021). "Chris Woakes makes mark in lieu of abandoned Test as 18 wickets fall at Headingley". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
14. "The Hundred 2022: latest squads as Draft picks revealed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
15. Coyne, James & Botcherby, Elizabeth (May 2022). "Big Hundred paydays for young stars". The Cricketer. Vol. 102, no. 2. London. p. 9.
16. Roller, Matt (4 July 2023). "Maxwell, Marsh pulled out of the Hundred by Cricket Australia". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
17. "Potts leads Durham resistance with maiden century". ESPNcricinfo. ECB Reporters' Network. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
18. "Barbados-born Jacob Bethell to captain England Under-19s against West Indies". ESPNcricinfo. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
19. "Young Lions announce England U19 World Cup squad". ECB. London. 21 December 2021. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
20. Coyne, James (March 2022). "India pushed all the way to U19 crown". The Cricketer. Vol. 101, no. 13. London. p. 10.
21. "JAMAL RICHARDS SET FOR ENGLAND U19S TOUR OF AUSTRALIA". essex cricket. December 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
22. "Reciprocal Australia tours confirmed for England Men's U19". ECB. London. 15 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
23. Ammon, Elizabeth (30 October 2024). "All-rounder Bethell gets first England call-up for New Zealand tour". The Times. No. 74553. London. p. 57. (Online article, published a day earlier, has a different title).
24. "England Men's Test Squad Announced for New Zealand Tour". ECB. London. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
25. Friend, Nick (29 October 2024). "Jacob Bethell emerges as England's latest leftfield Test pick". The Cricketer. London. Retrieved 31 October 2024.

External links

• Jacob Bethell at ESPNcricinfo