JACOB BETHELL will become England’s youngest men’s international cricket captain after being named skipper for next month’s T20 series in Ireland.
The 21-year-old Warwickshire allounder has been appointed to lead England in the three-match series in Dublin from September 17 to 21. The matches will be part of preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Bethell is set to break the record held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 years and 144 days old when he captained England in a Test against South Africa in Cape Town in 1888/89.
Since his T20 debut in September last year, Bethell has played 13 T20 internationals, 12 one-day internationals and four Tests.
‘Leadership qualities’
"Jacob Bethell has impressed with his leadership qualities ever since he has been with the England squads and the series against Ireland will provide him with the opportunity to further develop those skills on the international stage," said England selector Luke Wright.
Bethell’s latest appearance came in the deciding Test against India at the Oval this month. Standing in for injured captain Ben Stokes, he scored six and five and went wicketless with his left-arm spin.
Former captain Michael Vaughan criticised the decision to play Bethell in such a match, calling it “diabolical” given his limited first-class cricket this season.
Bethell now leads England as regular white-ball captain Harry Brook takes a break following the South Africa series. Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse have also been rested ahead of the Ashes.
Fast bowlers Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson are absent from all three squads to prepare for the Australia tour, where the first Test begins in Perth on November 21. Uncapped fast bowler Sonny Baker has been included.
Wood underwent knee surgery in March and missed the India Test series.
England squads for South Africa and Ireland
ODI squad v South Africa:
Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wkt), Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wkt)
T20 squad v South Africa:
Brook (capt), Ahmed, Archer, Banton, Bethell, Carse, Liam Dawson, Duckett, Jacks, Mahmood, Overton, Rashid, Phil Salt (wkt), Smith (wkt), Luke Wood
T20 squad v Ireland:
Bethell (capt), Ahmed, Baker, Banton, Buttler, Dawson, Tom Hartley, Jacks, Mahmood, Overton, Matthew Potts, Rashid, Salt (wkt), Wood
Fixtures
England v South Africa ODIs
Sep 02: 1st ODI, Headingley, Leeds (1200 GMT)
Sep 04: 2nd ODI, Lord's, London (1200 GMT)
Sep 07: 3rd ODI, Rose Bowl, Southampton (1000 GMT)
England v South Africa T20s
Sep 10: 1st T20, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (1730 GMT)
Sep 12: 2nd T20, Old Trafford, Manchester (1730 GMT)
Sep 14: 3rd T20, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (1330 GMT)
Ireland v England T20s, Malahide, Dublin (1230 GMT)
Sep 17: 1st T20
Sep 19: 2nd T20
Sep 21: 3rd T20
(With inputs from agencies)
Suggested tags:
Jacob Bethell, England cricket, Ireland T20 series, England captaincy, England squads
