I think Jacob's way forward is a bit trickier that Woakes right now. Woakes I think will need over six more likely nine months to recuperate from his injury then I think will do one more season under a Warwicks contact. Relatively straightforward.

Bethell has a decision to make (or England have to make it for him). If he hadn't have played this test, which I think was the plan, he would have gone into the 100 and used that to gain some fluency for England white ball games in September, which then clears him to be part of the Ashes test squad but more likely play white ball games on that tour with the odd red ball warm up. Simple. Now he's got to establish, having now been exposed for this one game, whether he is going to commit fully to being an England test player and as Broad and Vaughan has opined, he's got to do some work to do that. And that work needs to be domestically.

It's a bit like Schroedinger's cat. He's a fine test player so long as he doesn't actually play any test cricket.

Personally, I think his likeliest route to success is white ball only for the next few seasons and then convert back if that doesn't work. In any case, he just needs to nail down something. England did him no favours this year by seemingly saying he was #3 cover then bunging him in at six. Likewise, not deciding what disciplines and formats he will play generally will see him suffer from confusion.

I cannot see him becoming a Test player without having at least some time at the crease in CC games but because he has proved himself at the shorter formats, then he will no doubt carry on with that. The England Bigwigs had obviously seen him prosper before he played a Test and because he fits in with the 'Baz' way of playing, they took him into the Test side on a hunch and it looked alright in New Zealand but he looked exposed in the Oval Test and too many Bazballer's didn't get England over the line and this is the problem, too many of the same type of player and maybe England need a more solid player at 6 if Stokes isn't playing. At 301-3 England should have just seen it through but once Bethell was in, I was hoping he could just push it around but his need to go for 'Glory Shots' like he did in his recent CC game, cost him and maybe England. He needs to practice building a score or he will be another Jason Roy who never batted for more than 3 hours for Surrey as he could only play one way.

Perhaps England need a good solid and steady reliable player like Sam Hain!

England did him no favours this year by seemingly saying he was #3 cover then bunging him in at six. Likewise, not deciding what disciplines and formats he will play generally will see him suffer from confusion.

the talk before New Zealand was a great example of the mealy-mouthed, empty PR flannel that often comes out of the England camp

clearly they have a problem with the number 3 slot so in that flippant way they have, they just thought they would throw Bethell in there and give it a go, why not, vibes etc
Stokes's comment was that playing at 3 would 'suit his game'
WHAT game? in longer-form cricket he literally has no game
They come out with this baseless nonsense and don't get picked up on it nearly enough in this 'positivity rules' ecosystem they have created.

Totally agree, that whole 'que sera' style interview from McCullum post game today really grated.

The "This is how we play.." scenario really pisses me off, yes great, it looks amazing but when you get into a winning position, say to yourself, "Right, all we have to do is knock it about and get to the target". All this macho bullshit nonsense about how good it looks whilst you are smashing bowlers all over the place, is fine for the 'Isn't it exciting, I really love football most of all but love my only days of cricket each year, the Test' brigade. But, England's refusal to adapt, cost them this latest Test and with it, the series, the last Ashes series and a series before that v New Zealand when Stokes declared in a 2-match series in the 2nd Test whilst 1-0 up, then made New Zealand follow on which was their best chance of winning.

Has been named as captain for the england T20 tour of Ireland.

Highveld wrote:

Has been named as captain for the england T20 tour of Ireland.

I just saw. these people are absolute mentalists. There seems to be no limit to their 'edgy risk-taking bold-decision-making'

I wonder if at some point they will pick a kid based on seeing him face 2 balls in the nets. they're absolutely off their tits.

It only really works if that's him white ball only for the next year or so. Means he misses red ball games which would be part of his Ashes prep, I presume they don't want a repeat of the last India test.

he'll be captaining Dawson and Rashid, who've both probably forgotten more about cricket than he currently knows, bizarre spectacle.

but, vibes, though.

Youngest ever England captain.

Previous youngest was Monty Bowden who died aged 26 having become a liquor smuggler, falling off a cart and being trampled by his own oxen. His coffin was made out of a whisky crate.
Hopefully Jacob’s future life will be somewhat different.

Come on, who hasn't had that happen to them. I was lucky, when I fell off my smugglers cart, I was only trampled by my pet stoat Gerald.

Watched the last test series. V India and the young man seemed out of his depth in a cauldron of an atmosphere Please let him develop at his own pace without throwing more and more pressure My view anyway

You have to wonder what all this is doing to the poor kid's head. We've seen players of his age making waves in the past but by now they would normally have a record of achievement under their belts. All I see with Bethell is assertions of exceptional talent - but where's the evidence? I suppose it's hard for him to show that if he hardly plays any cricket.
You have to wish him well. And good luck captaining Jamie Overton.

I remember Mark Lathwell, a lovely free-flowing opener for Somerset who would have been great if the selectors had just left him alone to play county cricket for a few more years. Even his mother told the selectors to just leave him alone as he was just 21 and not really ready to play Tests. It affected him, no he never captained but trying to rush him into things just destroyed his love for the game, he was in and out of the first team, had a good return in 2001 but lost all enthusiasm for cricket and retired at 30.

Yeah remember him, great shame. Apparently when they called him say he'd been dropped he replied something along the lines of "Thank god for that..." and hung up.

paulbear wrote:

Come on, who hasn't had that happen to them. I was lucky, when I fell off my smugglers cart, I was only trampled by my pet stoat Gerald.

Good of you to name your stoat after me.
After hearing about Monty and the oxen, some have said ‘bullocks’ but I swear it’s true.

UrsaMinor wrote:

You have to wonder what all this is doing to the poor kid's head. We've seen players of his age making waves in the past but by now they would normally have a record of achievement under their belts. All I see with Bethell is assertions of exceptional talent - but where's the evidence? I suppose it's hard for him to show that if he hardly plays any cricket.
You have to wish him well. And good luck captaining Jamie Overton.

totally agree

is Overton reputedly difficult? i smiled at this