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Former England batter Ian Bell once described Jacob Bethell as "the best 17-year-old" he had ever seen. Earning such praises from an England great would have done a world of good to the youngster's confidence.
Bethell has been signed by the Paarl Royals for the SA20 2025 season. After two ordinary seasons in the league, the Royals are looking to rope in young blood, and Bethell perfectly fits the bill.
On that note, here are five interesting facts about John Bethell.
5 interesting facts about Jacob Bethell
#1 Born and raised in Barbados
Bethell was born and raised in Barbados where he attended Harrison College. He was awarded the Player of the Tournament in the West Indies Under-15 competition in 2017. The 20-year-old scored 144 runs in five innings, including a century.
#2 Won a scholarship to Rugby School, Warwickshire
Impressing with his cricketing skills and maturity at a young age, Jacob Bethell earned a scholarship in Rugby School. He was coached by the former Warwickshire player Michael Powell.
Bethell signed a three-year professional contract with Warwickshire in January 2021 and made his first-class debut against Yorkshire in September 2021, three months after making his List A debut against Glamorgan.
#3 He is a batting all-rounder and has played First Class, List A and domestic T20 cricket
Jacob Bethell is just 20 and has played 18 first-class matches, 16 List A games, and 41 T20s so far. He is a batting all-rounder who bats left-handed and bowls slow left-arm orthodox spin.
He has scored four half-centuries in T20s and has a healthy strike rate of 139.09. With the ball, he has picked up seven T20 wickets and has an economy rate of 7.83.
Though he is yet to set the stage on fire, he has shown glimpses of his talent across formats and will look to improve with each outing and make his performances count.
#4 Played for England in the 2022 U-19 World Cup
Jacob Bethell was a part of the runner-up England team in the U-19 World Cup in 2022. In six matches, he scored 205 runs at an average of almost 35. His highest score in the tournament was 88 from just 42 balls against South Africa U-19 in the quarter-finals.
He also picked up five wickets with the ball in the tournament. Bethell was one of the architects who guided England U-19 to the World Cup final where they lost to a strong India U-19 team.
He is one of the players to watch out for in the future and has the potential to be a successful international player for England.
#5 Represents Birmingham Phoenix in the ongoing Men's Hundred Competition
The all-rounder currently plays for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred Men's Competition 2024. Since making his debut in 2022, he has played nine matches and in eight innings, he has scored 121 runs at a strike rate of 127.36.
He represented Welsh Fire in 2022 and since 2023, has been a part of the Birmingham Phoenix franchise.
His highest score in The Hundred is 46* against Trent Rockets on July 31, 2024. The said innings showcased his talent as he scored at a strike rate of 158.62.
Jacob Bethell is still 20 and has all the makings of a future England cricketer across formats.
