England won't move 'world-class' Smith up order

BBC News

a day ago

Head coach Brendon McCullum says England will not be tempted to move Jamie Smith up the order - or bring in Jacob Bethell as a spin-bowling all-rounder.Wicketkeeper Smith made scores of 184 not out and 88 batting at number seven in England's heavy second-Test defeat by India at Edgbaston.Bethell, 21, has so far been overlooked during the India series, but his left-arm spin would be an option if England wanted to replace frontline off-spinner Shoaib Bashir or lengthen their batting.McCullum said on Smith: "He's just developing at rapid speed, and from our point of view, we're very happy with him at number seven and with the gloves on."
Asked whether Bethell could come in as an all-round option, the New Zealander added: "You never say never to do anything, right? But that's certainly not what we're looking at, at the moment, no."Smith averages 58.64 in the 12 Tests he has played since making his debut last summer.The 24-year-old is not the first-choice gloveman for his county Surrey, where he plays as a specialist batter at number four.The swashbuckling unbeaten 184 he made against India in the second Test was an astonishing innings, a superb counter-attacking effort when England found themselves 84-5. It was both the highest score by an England wicketkeeper and number seven.One possible move for England would be to move Smith to number three, the position occupied by Ollie Pope. Though Pope made a century in the first-Test defeat of India, he can be inconsistent and could swap with Smith, sliding down the order and keeping wicket, as he has for England in six previous Tests.But McCullum, himself a former Test keeper, drew comparisons between Smith and Australia legend Adam Gilchrist, who also batted at seven."He does look world class," said McCullum. "When we made the decision to bring Jamie Smith into Test cricket, we were hopeful that he'd be able to have that sort of impact, obviously in the middle, but also being able to have the power that he's got with the tail too."You wouldn't have done that to Gilchrist, so I don't think we should do that to Smith."
Pope held off competition from Bethell for the number-three spot, although Bethell also offers the option of his left-arm spin.Bashir has taken eight wickets in the India series, more than any other England bowler except Josh Tongue. However, the 21-year-old has been expensive - his wickets have cost almost 60 runs each and his economy is just below four an over.However, McCullum said England will not "crowbar" Bethell into the team."He's a batting option," added the coach. "He's the next one in if something happens."He wants to keep improving his bowling so that he can obviously impact the game across both the bat and ball. It's not something we'd look at from a tactical point of view to do."One player set to be included in the England XI for the third Test at Lord's, beginning on Thursday, is Jofra Archer.The pace bowler, 30, has not played Test cricket in four years after a string of injuries, but seems likely to return as the home side freshen up their attack.And McCullum said Archer is "certainly" available, despite bowling only 18 overs on his first-class comeback for Sussex last week."Jofra is looking fit, he's looking strong, he's looking ready to go, and he'll come into calculations," he added."It's hugely exciting. He's buzzing as well. He's obviously been through his injuries and his time out of Test cricket."We all know what he's capable of achieving in Test cricket and we hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he's able to recapture and also improve on what he's been able to do already in that form of the game."