Back off talented Bethell and let him learn game – Agnew

Despite England’s series defeat against an impressive South Africa, it was really nice to see Jacob Bethell at Lord’s on Thursday with a smile on his face and scoring runs.

The 21-year-old has been subjected to a lot of pressure this summer, which is hardly fair, but at Lord’s he seemed to be really enjoying himself with 58 off 40 balls.

In his only international appearance of the summer, Bethell was dismissed after failing to score in his two previous matches against Headingley on Tuesday and at The Oval in a crucial moment.

He struggled in The Hundred, where it became clear that he was receiving hefty criticism from the opposition and rants about being England’s “Golden Boy,” which was cruel.

Someone should step back a little, Bethell. Even Sachin Tendulkar had to travel and work on his game. Everyone does, too.

Without that knowledge, no one can expect to enter the international game, and no one can prepare for that without playing a lot of cricket.

In some situations, you’ll be aware of your game’s structure and play style.

I’m not suggesting that England should not select Bethell. But let him play because he’s all about it when he’s a youngster.

Why did they select him to lead the T20 tour of Ireland, in my opinion?

Because anything can happen in T20 games, I sincerely hope it doesn’t go wrong.

Rob Key’s comments about Bethell’s leadership qualities, in my opinion, are somewhat absurd.

What leadership qualities might he have demonstrated if, as the Test team’s 12th man, he has been carrying drinks all summer without playing for Warwickshire?

England needs a fifth bowler to help them balance their side.

Without an all-rounder, which this team lack, it is very difficult.

I liked Bethell’s bat-assisted innings, but he and Will Jacks combined to give up 112 runs in 10 overs.

You can’t just play around with part-time bowlers for ten overs, and you can’t even start bowling them at the end of the innings.

By that point, batters are ready, and South Africa’s middle order is pretty brutal.

England were concerned about the breadth of their batting, so they included Jacks at number seven in response to how they batted at Headingley.

Sonny Baker, who had a difficult debut, was dropped for the second ODI because of the team’s composition.

Although Baker was very expensive in Leeds, you can always pick him again 48 hours later if you already have a teammate from two days ago.

Everyone has a right to feel nervous about their debut. Headingley’s pitch was excellent, and the outfield was very quick.

When the first innings started, the ball was moving around at Lord’s. After England won the toss and decided to field, that gave Baker an opportunity to see what he could do.

We made the key point about England’s Champions Trophy campaign in February by stating that they lack the ability to play 50-over cricket.

They hardly ever play it; that is not entirely their fault. These players are almost entirely T20 players right now, but 50-over cricket is a completely different game.

You practice the game format, and you can learn to rebuild your innings, like South Africa did at Lord’s.

When losing quick wickets, England’s players must learn how to pace it and how to restructure it.

Not much has changed in the Champions Trophy mindset over the past two performances.

Yes, West Indies was a weak team, but England did defeat them 3-1.

England’s 50-over game is much better suited for this series against South Africa, which also has some improvement.

Because of their connection to World Cup qualification, these one-day series are significant. The humiliating situation of having to compete against the likes of the Netherlands, Scotland, and the United States could put England in the best possible light.

The top eight, along with hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, are automatically eligible for the 14-team tournament because they are eighth in the International Cricket Council’s one-day standings, which govern eligibility.

Because England will play a tough series in New Zealand following the South Africa series and the T20 tour of Ireland, it is not in a good position.

It will be difficult for them to concentrate on that one-day series because the Ashes are coming up a few weeks later.