“(It was) really fun.” Bethell said. “And to come away with Rooty at the end (who made 23 of 15) was pretty special.
“Having the opportunity to come out in the second innings and give England a win was at the forefront of my mind and fortunately I was able to do that.”
The second-innings speed run was consistent with England’s approach to attacking small targets. Barring a thick inside edge that took him off the mark, the remaining eight boundaries were real statement pieces. Notably, there is a six-seater on the lawn at Hagley Oval for fellow debutant Nathan Smith.
Smith did not take kindly to Bethell’s onslaught as he removed four boundaries from the left-hander in his first over and went to the bouncer. But Bethell is used to bowling short distances. He was a child born in Barbados, raised there and later raised in England. A Rugby School scholarship kept him above 12 years old.
“I was very small growing up so I didn’t get much into my half until I was about 16 or 17 when I got a little bigger,” he said. “I’ve never had that much power, but I can still play well. Now the only decision is whether I’m going to hit it on the ground or hit a six.”
This confidence, conveyed with a distinctly Welsh mixed Bajan and Brummie accent, is why England had no qualms about putting him in third place. shrug one’s shoulders
The conditions were tough and New Zealand’s players did their best to prepare. Bethell held his own but managed only 10 off 34 balls. He managed only the 13th ball before Smith dismissed him, still 1 off 26 off. Root’s dismissal left England 45 for 3 at lunch on the second day.
“That’s part of the game, right?” Bethel spoke as if she had been here before. “After lunch it looked like a different pitch. Having Harry Brook’s batting helps, he makes it look pretty easy.”
“I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket since I was little. I remember watching the Ashes and all the England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it.”
“I think it could be a different story. I fought hard and unfortunately I didn’t make it to lunch, but I can get through it another day and go on to do great things.”
Ben Stokes picked 34 deliveries after notching a half-century, clearly buoyed by the way the very youngster owned his space in his first 49 minutes as a Test batsman. “If he keeps that attitude, I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Stokes said.
Bethell’s selection for the tour was a huge show of faith as he was picked as a reserve batsman despite only averaging 25.44 first-class runs in 30 innings. None of them were higher than number five. He wasn’t worried.
“I played better every time I played against better people,” he said. “I went up to the 100 team and played better. I went straight into the internationals and played better. There was no doubt that I would have done well if I had played Test cricket.”
But Bethell will be hoping to get the chance to show he can develop at the top, something he would like to do at Warwickshire but has yet to make a solid case.
“I like playing turns, so I was really excited to get the opportunity,” he said. “I always wanted to be in the top four, so third place is perfect.
“I think my game lends itself to any style. On Sunday we saw a more attacking style. I’m also able to absorb a little bit of pressure, so I’m sure there will be times in my career when I do that as well.”
Already a multi-format batsman, there will come a time when Bethell will be pulled in a few different ways. That may already be happening.
After this Test series, he will head to Australia to fulfill his overseas commitment with Melbourne Renegades. And just last week, he was one of 12 England players to take part in the IPL marquee auction, earning his first gig with Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a hefty sum of £245,000. He will also miss the first seven rounds of the Warwickshire County Championship campaign.
He will join England team-mates Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone at RCB. But it’s no surprise to guess who he’d like to rub shoulders with.
“It’s a bit obvious, isn’t it?” Bethel said with a wry smile. “Virat! He plays the game well… King Kohli.”
Like all young players competing in top franchise competitions, he wants to be a sponge. “All the overseas players who went there came back with a wealth of experience.”
But his first taste of the longest format left him hungry for more. The Ashes tour is coming up soon. The successful 2010–11 tour of England was his formative series. This format and this team is where he really wants to establish himself.
“Honestly, it’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of,” Bethell said of Test cricket. “I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket since I was a kid. I remember watching the Ashes and all the England Tests on TV and wanting to be a part of it.
“And ever since Baz (Brendon McCullum) took over Stokesy, I’ve always seen it on TV and been like, ‘That looks really fun,’ and it lived up to my expectations. It was so much fun.”
Vithushan Ehantharajah is the Editor-in-Chief of ESPNcricinfo.
