England are right to stick with a settled top six – Bethell should follow the Lara model
There always seems to be one man under pressure in England's batting lineup and consensus over the winter seemed to be that Jacob Bethell's emergence had put Ollie Pope's place at risk. Pope has clung on to his place for the start of the India series and my view is that Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum should be very careful before they mess with what is probably the most settled top six of any Test side in the world at the moment.
There was speculation about both Pope and Zak Crawley before they scored centuries in last month's game against Zimbabwe, but that performance should have secured their spots for this series at least. Bethell is a huge talent and some really top cricketers have spoken very highly about his performances and potential – clearly his time will come. He was impressive in New Zealand over the winter and since then we've seen exhilarating glimpses of his ability in shorter formats.
Who knows what lies ahead for him but in considering his position now I think back to the visit of West Indies in 1991 when they had an emerging left-handed batter in their squad by the name of Brian Lara. Though people were already hugely excited by him Lara spent the entire series as 12th man before coming into the side the following year, and while the rest of Bethell's career might not live up to that of the brilliant Trinidadian, I can see its next stage following Lara's. My instinct is that England are unlikely to shuffle the pack for a while. With no-one currently struggling for form there is a lot to be said for continuity – I'm sure India wouldn't mind having a bit more of it.
The last time they arrived for the start of a new Test series they had Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their team, and England Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad in theirs. Four giants of the Test game, and now they have all gone. If England have already had some time to rebuild after the loss of their two great seamers, India are now going through a changing of the guard, a subplot which adds to the intrigue around what I think will be an enthralling series.
India have a combination of a new Test captain in Shubman Gill and an experienced campaigner as a coach in Gautam Gambhir, who is known for being a tough, demanding, competitive guy, and very proud to represent his country. We know to an extent what to expect from England, but for all that India still have a squad packed with established names, there remains the thrill of the unknown.
I was working for the BBC the last time they played a Test here, the final game of the aborted 2021 Test series which was rearranged for Edgbaston the following summer. That was a thriller: there was a point when it looked like India were in the ascendancy as they piled on the runs in the third innings but then a couple of poor shots gave England a way back in. They still had to chase 378, but Zak Crawley played one of his more mature, orthodox innings to help lay the foundations, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow both scored centuries and they ended up knocking off the runs with ease. I'm sure some members of England's current dressing room will have thought back to that game, and it might be a bit of a blueprint for the way they want to go about things.
When I was working with the England side we tended to play in very traditional English conditions, fairly green surfaces with a lot of lateral movement, swing and nip off the seam, and we relied on Anderson and Broad to make the most of it. That made us a real handful at home, and forced overseas teams to adjust their methods. Under McCullum and Stokes we have seen flat, dry wickets where the batters can really look to dominate, and England then rely on Stokes's ingenuity in the field to conjure up 20 wickets and win the game. That 2022 match showed that England can beat a top-class India side on a flat, dry pitch.
The current forecast suggests the series will start in hot conditions, which will test England's bowlers. Brydon Carse has a chance to lead the attack in the first game while Josh Tongue keeps his place, both having impressed in their brief time in an England shirt. They are tall players with good pace and a challenging angle: their release point is slightly past the perpendicular, which is not something either would have been coached to do but which does make it more awkward for a batter to line up. Add to them a fully-fit Stokes contributing in short bursts and the known quality of Chris Woakes and England's seam offering looks well rounded.
They have clearly had the Ashes on their minds for a while, and though this series is big enough to push those thoughts away for a few weeks it is perfect preparation for the intensity they will have to bring in the winter. I will be intrigued to see if by then Bethell has got another chance to prove he is more than an apprentice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
8 minutes ago
- BBC News
Derbys on top against Glos as Morley takes six-fer
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (day one)Gloucestershire: Bancroft 58, Bracey 47; Morley 6-55, Thomson 2-20Derbyshire 116-2: Lloyd 35, Jewell 32, Came 29*; Bailey 1-9Glos (0 pts), Derbys (3 pts)Match scorecard Jack Morley claimed career-best figures of 6-55 as Derbyshire dominated the opening day of their County Championship match against Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium, around the wicket from the Ashley Down Road End, the 23-year-old left-arm spinner sent down 18.2 overs, sparking a collapse that took the home side from 68 for no wicket to 187 all out after winning the Bancroft top-scored with 58, while James Bracey contributed 47, and there were two wickets each for Zak Chappell and Alex Thomson. By the close of a day in which six overs were lost to rain, Derbyshire had replied with 116-2, Harry Came unbeaten on play began, players, officials and staff from both clubs stood in line to observe a minute's silence as a mark of respect for Gloucestershire president and former fast bowler David 'Syd' Lawrence, who died at the age of 61 following a long battle with motor neurone 50 minutes play followed before rain forced an early lunch, taken at 12:30 BST. By the break, Gloucestershire openers Bancroft and Joe Phillips, the latter making his first appearance of the season, had put 35 runs on the board in 12.2 resumed at 13:25 and there was little sign of the carnage ahead as Bancroft and Phillips extended their partnership comfortably before Phillips, on 27, drove Morley in the air to mid-on where Ben Aitchison took a good tumbling was 82-2 when Ollie Price was bowled on the back foot by a delivery from Morley that hurried through, and 86-3 when Miles Hammond advanced down the pitch to the same bowler only to miscue a catch to Aitchison at went to a solid 114-ball half-century, with eight fours, but fell with the total on 102, caught behind trying to pull a short ball from plight worsened when Graeme van Buuren went lbw to Thomson and Ben Charlesworth followed for a duck, caught at second slip attempting to drive 114-6, Gloucestershire's innings looked in tatters. But Bracey and Zaman Akhter stopped the rot with a seventh-wicket stand that was worth 37 by tea, Akhter playing positively before the break, reverse sweeping Thomson for four and off-driving another boundary in the same England Lions all-rounder continued in the same vein after the interval, timing a sweet straight four off the opening delivery of the session, sent down by Chappell, and quickly following up with a boundary through the had begun his innings with two edged fours wide of second slip off Chappell. But under clearing skies and early evening sunshine, he also found his touch as the stand reached 64 before Akhter was bowled by Morley for Test off-spinner Todd Murphy, making his Gloucestershire debut, could score only one before being caught at deep square pulling a ball from Chappell, Aitchison pouching a fourth catch. Ajeet Singh Dale was bowled by a ball from Morley that straightened, and when Bracey, having run out of partners, holed out to long-on, Gloucestershire had lost all ten wickets for 119 runs in the space of 36 were left with 28 overs to face before stumps. Openers David Lloyd and Caleb Jewell took the score to 49 in the 11th over before Jewell, who had just pulled a six off Akhter, fell to the same bowler, edging a back-foot shot to second slip and departing for 32 off 39 brought on as early as the eighth over, was unable to pose the problems caused by Morley from the same end, but 19-year-old seamer Archie Bailey struck with his eighth ball on seasonal debut as Lloyd, having moved untroubled to 35, cut a catch to and Wayne Madsen saw out the remaining overs as Derbyshire reached the close trailing by only 71 Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay
BBC News
18 minutes ago
- BBC News
Cracknell ton helps Middlesex recover at Northants
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, County Ground, Northampton (day one)Middlesex 397-8: Cracknell 106*, Du Plooy 66, Hollman 51; Guthrie 6-87Northamptonshire: Yet to batMiddlesex 3pts, Northamptonshire 2ptsMatch scorecard Joe Cracknell scored an unbeaten 106, his maiden first-class century, while Leus du Plooy struck 66 as Middlesex staged a spirited fightback against Northamptonshire on day one of this County Championship match at Wantage Cracknell, whose previous best was just 33, having largely played white-ball cricket to date, played a superbly-paced innings, facing 164 balls and striking 11 fours and a six to take the visitors to 397-8 at stumps. It was Cracknell's third century of the week after tons in each innings of Middlesex's Second XI game against Glamorgan at bounced back after Liam Guthrie, who took 6-87 with the Kookaburra ball, his first five-wicket haul for Northamptonshire, had the Seaxes reeling on 33-3 inside the first half an hour, removing the visitors' top Du Plooy started to revive Middlesex's fortunes, sharing two 60-run stands, first with Ryan Higgins (25) and then with Ben Geddes (27). When they fell, Middlesex were still in a precarious position at 160-6 before Cracknell and Luke Hollman (51) combined to add 103 for the seventh was then joined by Zafar Gohar and Toby Roland-Jones in stands of 81 and 53 at the end of a satisfactory first day in charge for Middlesex's interim men's first-team coach Dane Vilas. Earlier, left-armer Guthrie struck in the second over, coming round the wicket. Josh de Caires fell into the legside trap as he worked one off his hip straight to leg Max Holden was trapped lbw by a Guthrie delivery that moved in and straightened. When Sam Robson became Guthrie's third wicket, edging low to Calvin Harrison at second slip, the visitors were in real Plooy and Higgins rebuilt positively, keeping the scoreboard ticking as they put on 62. Du Plooy garnered boundaries off backfoot punches off the seamers and played Guthrie down the legside for four to take Middlesex past 50 in the 12th over before driving him sweetly through was proactive, strong on the reverse sweep against the spinners, but was adjudged lbw to a Justin Broad delivery that looked a little high as he stepped down the wicket aiming to play to Plooy joined forces in another confident stand worth 60 with Geddes who started positively, Middlesex passing 100 in the 23rd over before powering Broad through extra Plooy, meanwhile, punched Guthrie off the backfoot through cover point and then pulled leg-spinner Harrison for four to reach his half-century just before flowed quickly against the seamers after the interval. Geddes punched Guthrie off the backfoot, while Du Plooy drove Luke Procter for four before coming down the wicket and pulling him dismissively through mid-on. He had a rush of blood though, attempting to repeat the shot, failing to control it and instead top-edging to long-on where Rob Keogh took an excellent diving catch running back. Geddes drove Procter handsomely through extra cover but departed soon afterwards, edging behind off a Broad delivery which held its brought together Cracknell and Hollman who started briskly, Cracknell pulling and driving Broad for consecutive fielded four spinners and both batters took a liking to them with the ball offering little turn. Hollman hit Harrison back over his head, smashed him through the covers and swept behind square. He swept Lloyd Pope to the boundary too and drove his next ball through cover also tucked into the spinners, muscling Keogh down the ground before dispatching his next ball, a half-tracker, over midwicket for six to go past his previous highest tea, both batters reached their fifties and brought up the 100 partnership, but were parted next over when Hollman skied an attempted hook off Guthrie, Pope taking a good catch at deep-backward square continued to locate the boundary, driving Broad through extra, pulling a Pope half-tracker through midwicket and pummelling Guthrie through extra (34) offered strong support as Cracknell neared three figures, taking consecutive boundaries off Procter with the new ball before Guthrie got one to lift, Gohar fending it to Ricardo Vasconcelos at smashed Guthrie through extra cover and then worked Broad into the off-side to take him to three figures and a well-deserved celebration before some Roland-Jones fireworks ensured Middlesex rounded off the day positively. Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Notts' Slater hits 96 on even first day with Yorkshire
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Trent Bridge (day one)Nottinghamshire 298-6: Slater 96, Hameed 52; Hill 2-53, Moriarty 2-58Yorkshire: Yet to batNottinghamshire 1pt, Yorkshire 2ptsMatch scorecard Ben Slater made 96, captain Haseeb Hameed 52 and new signing Ishan Kishan is 44 not out but struggling Yorkshire had a case for claiming honours even against County Championship leaders Nottinghamshire, who finished day one at Trent Bridge on for whom seamer George Hill and spinner Dan Moriarty took two wickets each, are next to bottom of Division One with only one win from seven matches so far. They had the disappointment, too, of being unable to field Pakistan batter Abdullah Shafique after a visa delay prevented his the India wicketkeeper-batter, had no such problem as he starts a two-match stint as cover for South African Kyle Verreynne, and Nottinghamshire will hope he can yet extend his innings significantly after a number of their batters made starts but failed to build on them. On a used pitch, Nottinghamshire opted to bat first and had been 90 without loss at lunch after a morning in which the only real chance created by the Yorkshire attack was squandered as Slater drove left-arm spinner Moriarty into the covers but was put down by Dom Bess with the score on with the new ball by Jack White and the New Zealander Will O'Rourke, playing in his first and only Championship match, Yorkshire had bowled tidily enough but it was not until the resumption after lunch, delayed by 15 minutes because of rain, that they were first breakthrough came after just two deliveries as Hameed, who had gone to fifty just before lunch and was looking comfortable enough, was caught behind off a bottom edge looking to play White into the leg overs later, the captain was followed back in by Freddie McCann, who abruptly changed the tempo with four quick boundaries but perished somewhat unnecessarily in search of another. Having pulled O'Rourke for four two balls earlier in an over that had already added 11 runs to the Nottinghamshire total, he top-edged his attempt to repeat the shot against a quicker delivery and gave Jonny Bairstow another Clarke had found some form towards the end of the first block of red-ball fixtures, which he finished with 277 runs in three innings, including 64 and 94 against Yorkshire at Headingley as Nottinghamshire completed a fourth win from seven matches. He did not progress beyond 31, though, on this occasion, falling four overs before tea after Moriarty and off-spinner Bess bowling in tandem had introduced an element of to hit Moriarty over the leg side, Clarke miscued to mid-on where Matthew Revis, back-pedalling furiously, fell over backwards as he grabbed the ball with his left hand and, despite a heavy landing, it stuck Jack Haynes, on eight, had escaped a sharp chance to Adam Lyth at slip off Moriarty, Slater clipped Bess to the leg-side boundary for his 12th four to move into the 90s. Yet, with a first century of the season seemingly there for the taking, he missed out, tempted by an opportunity to get there in one hit as Moriarty strayed wide but hitting straight to Hill at primarily known for his exploits in T20 cricket, announced himself with a flurry of boundaries, including three in the same over off Yorkshire's current leading wicket-taker responded by dismissing Haynes leg before for his 33rd success of the season before the second new ball was taken with Nottinghamshire 253-5, adding another - and another unforced error from the home side's perspective - as Lyndon James was caught at extra cover. Ishan was still there on 44 when bad light brought play to an end, two overs early. Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
