England to hand Jacob Bethell his Test debut at No 3 in New Zealand opener

• Bold call-up for 21-year-old yet to score first-class century
• Ollie Pope to keep wicket after Jordan Cox’s injury blow

Jacob Bethell, the 21-year-old Barbados-born all-rounder, will make his Test debut for England in Christchurch and is slated to bat at No 3.

Although the selection has been forced by an injury to Jordan Cox – with Ollie Pope to keep wicket in the first Test against New Zealand – it still represents England’s boldest pick under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. Bethell, a stylish left-hander who plays for Warwickshire, is yet to score a century at first-class level and will be the first batter to make his England debut without doing so since Mike Gatting in 1978.

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Source: Cricket - The Guardian