England vs New Zealand: Jacob Bethell named in Take a look at squad as Jamie Smith misses sequence; Jordan Cox to maintain wicket

England have named Warwickshire all-rounder Jacob Bethell of their squad for the three-Take a look at tour of New Zealand with Jamie Smith to overlook the journey as a result of start of his first youngster.

Jordan Cox will maintain wicket in Smith’s absence with Bethell – who, like Cox, is uncapped at Take a look at degree – added to a 16-player group as batting cowl for a sequence that begins on November 28.

Vice-captain Ollie Pope retains his place regardless of averaging 11 and recording a prime rating of 29 within the 2-1 sequence defeat in Pakistan.

The primary New Zealand Take a look at in Christchurch is adopted by video games in Wellington from December 6 and Hamilton from December 14.

Barbados-born Bethell averages 25.44 throughout 20 first-class matches and is but to attain a century – he has a better of 93 in opposition to Nottinghamshire early within the 2024 season.

However he made some spectacular middle-order cameos with the bat in opposition to Australia in ODI and T20I cricket in September in what was his first style of the worldwide sport.

The 21-year-old hit a 15-ball Vitality Blast fifty for Birmingham Bears in opposition to Northamptonshire this summer time.

Bethell additionally bowls left arm-spin – he struck 4 instances throughout the 5 ODIs versus Australia – though that has solely yielded seven wickets at a mean of 96.14 in red-ball cricket.

Bethell, Cox and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed – the later retained within the squad as one among three spinners, alongside Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir – will hyperlink up with the Take a look at group in New Zealand on the finish of their white-ball commitments in West Indies.

Cox to maintain wicket in New Zealand

Cox, who was England’s spare batter in Pakistan, scored 918 runs at a mean of 65.57 for Essex in County Championship Division One this summer time, hitting 4 a whole lot.

He has solely stored wicket in six first-class video games and never worn the gloves in red-ball cricket since June 2023.

England coach Brendon McCullum mentioned earlier this month, when information of Smith’s possible absence emerged: “New Zealand is a comfortable place to wicket-keep and it would be great to have a look at Cox.

“His holding is strong. He is truly annoyingly good at the whole lot he does, a kind of guys that you simply take a look at and say he is received a excessive ceiling by way of expertise, notably with bat in hand.”

Cox’s selection as wicketkeeper perhaps indicates that Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes, both dropped after last winter’s 4-1 defeat in India, may have played their last Tests.

Pope, in the meantime, was firmly backed by McCullum after the loss in Pakistan.

“We know when Popey gets in he gets big scores. It is not an easy place to bat at No 3,” mentioned McCullum, who can even turn into England white-ball head coach at the beginning of 2025.

“I know Popey will be disappointed with the volume of runs he has got. I expect him to bounce back in New Zealand and we will make sure he has the support around him to do so.”

New Zealand have simply turn into the primary away staff to win a Take a look at sequence in India since 2012, whereas they held England to a 1-1 draw after they hosted Ben Stokes’ facet in early 2023.

England’s Take a look at tour of New Zealand

• First Take a look at: November 28-December 2 (Christchurch)
• Second Take a look at: December 6-10 (Wellington)
• Third Take a look at: December 14-18 (Hamilton)