No assurances over England number three

BBC News

a day ago

England selector Luke Wright stopped short of backing incumbent number three Ollie Pope after Jacob Bethell was included in the squad for the first Test against India.Bethell, 21, returns after missing the defeat of Zimbabwe while at the Indian Premier League with Royal Challengers Bangalore.Before that match, Test captain Ben Stokes appeared to suggest Bethell would make an immediate return to the XI when available. After vice-captain Pope made a sparkling century at Trent Bridge, Stokes clarified that he was referring to Bethell returning to the squad and claimed his earlier comments had been "twisted to suit an agenda".Although Pope is still expected to retain his place at Headingley, Wright said: "We'll get together when we get up to Leeds and announce that two days out from the Test."We'll consider everything: conditions, what has gone before. All of those considerations go into the melting pot."Left-hander Bethell made three half-centuries in New Zealand at the end of last year, batting at number three after Pope slid down the order to stand in as wicketkeeper.Though he opted to miss the Zimbabwe Test in order to play at the IPL, he further impressed in the first one-day international against West Indies last week with 82 at Edgbaston.On the prospect of Bethell playing in the first Test, Wright said he is "very close".Wright added: "It's a great option to have. What a talent we all see in him. It's a great issue to have, to have that depth in the squad."
Bethell could pressure opener Zak Crawley or frontline spinner Shoaib Bashir for a place in the XI but realistically it is a choice between the Warwickshire man and Pope.Former England all-rounder Wright rejected the suggestion that the lack of clarity around Bethell's position could unsettle the established members of the squad."Everyone knows before you go into any game there are always places up for grabs," said Wright. "I don't think anyone takes it for granted in international cricket. That's the way it always should be."You want a strong squad. They are all big lads who know what it is all about. There will always be speculation about what that XI will be. I'm sure the players will be very aware of what's going on and how it's going to look before that first Test."Elsewhere, Jamie Overton returns to the Test squad for the first time in three years, but Matthew Potts misses out.Wright explained that England wanted the option of Overton's extra pace, while Potts had fallen behind Sam Cook in the role of Chris Woakes' new-ball understudy.It was also confirmed that Jofra Archer is planning to play for Sussex in their County Championship match at Durham, beginning on 22 June.Archer, has not played red-ball cricket for more than four years because of a string of injuries.He would have played for England Lions against India A at Northampton on Friday had it not been for a thumb injury.Instead he will look to play for the Sussex second XI, then the first team at Chester-le-Street, with a view to being available for the second or third Test against India.