James Rew is on standby for a Test debut against New Zealand after Jacob Bethell returned home early from the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a finger injury.
Bethell injured his left ring finger while diving on the boundary for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Ahmedabad a week ago. He will return home early to be assessed by England's medical team. An England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement said they would 'determine his availability' for the first Test at Lord's, starting on June 4.
Potential Debut for Rew
The 22-year-old Somerset star has made an impressive start to the season, despite struggling when moved up the order to open the batting. While the management remain hopeful Bethell will recover in time to take his place at No 3 and build on the sparkling 154 he made against Australia at Sydney in January – his most recent red-ball innings – his absence would create room for Rew to play his first Test at the age of 22.
Rew's Form
Rew, the spare batsman in England's 15-man squad, has averaged nearly 48 for Somerset in Division One of the County Championship this season, and already has 12 first-class centuries to his name. He usually bats at No 4, though his most recent hundred, against Nottinghamshire at Taunton in April, came at No 3. A brief experiment as an opener failed: Rew made four and nought against Glamorgan at Cardiff.
England's Batting Options
If Bethell fails to recover in time, it would leave England with two debutants in their top order against a threatening New Zealand seam attack, with Durham's uncapped Emilio Gay already pencilled in to open with Ben Duckett. Joe Root has come in 60 times at No 3, but he has never enjoyed the position and has batted there only once in the last four years, leaving Rew as England's likeliest first drop should Bethell not make the cut.
