Eighteen-year-old prospect Jacob Bethell enjoyed an impressive Under 19s World Cup earlier this year, scoring 205 runs at the top of the order and picking up five wickets with his useful left arm spin as England reached the final.
His standout innings came in the quarter-final victory over South Africa, where he scored 88 off just 42 balls. Ex-England star Ian Bell cited Bethell's emergence as one of the reasons behind his retirement in 2020, describing him as "the best 17-year-old" he has ever seen.
Following on from the World Cup, Bethell is one of two members of England's squad to have been picked up in The Hundred draft. The teenager has earned a £30,000 deal with Welsh Fire, while 17-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed was picked up for £50,000 by Southern Brave.
Despite the lure of lucrative contracts in franchise tournaments like The Hundred, Bethell remains keenly focused on red-ball cricket. The teenager wants to play Test cricket for England and regards the format as the "pinnacle", admitting that "going too far in white-ball would hinder my chances of playing red-ball".
Speaking to the Guardian, Bethell said: "It was quite unexpected to get a Hundred contract. I put my name in not thinking much would come from it.
"I guess the Under-19s World Cup was a big platform that pushed some of our names forward, playing tournament cricket in pressure situations.
"My dream is to play for England in all formats. And Test cricket has always been the pinnacle. I watched the 2010-11 Ashes win as a kid and was just: 'Wow, I want to be there.'
"Test cricket is the most challenging format and looks the most rewarding. That red Dukes ball, especially early season, is seriously testing.
"My big challenge is the usual stuff for a left-hander. You have bowlers trying to swing it away and then get one to rap the pads.
"It’s a case of being clinical with my judgment outside off-stump. It’s a completely different game to the white-ball. And it’s hard to go from white-ball cricket to red-ball – I think going too far in white-ball would hinder my chances of playing red-ball."
