From Newsgroup: uk.sport.cricket


Yorkshire didn't sign Bethell despite recommendation from Joe Root.

Bethell is extremely talented. Will play for England for a long time in
most likely multiple formats.


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https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/how-joe-root-discovered-jacob-bethell-barbados-10282843/

How Joe Root discovered a future cricketer in 10-year-old Jacob Bethell
in Barbados and lobbied Yorkshire to sign prodigy

When Joe Root first met a 10-year-old Jacob Bethell in Barbados, he
thought the boy was "an old soul."

ItrCOs a claim every cricket fan has heard somewhere: rCLI saw him play
years ago, and I just knew.rCY For England cricketing legend Joe Root,
this was more than just a boast. It was a simple prediction, one he made
after a chance encounter on a sun-drenched island, and it involved a boy
who wasnrCOt even a teenager.

The story begins over a decade ago, during an England tour of the
Caribbean Islands. After an ODI in Bridgetown, Barbados, Root stayed on
for a brief holiday with his family. The trip took a personal turn
thanks to a piece of family history. RootrCOs father, Matthew, had spent
years playing club cricket in England with a man named Graham Bethell,
who now lived on the island. The two old friends arranged a reunion.

This casual visit led Root to a local sports field, where GrahamrCOs son,
a 10-year-old Jacob, was playing in an under-12s match. The sight that
greeted Root was almost comical. rCLHe was half the size of everyone
else,rCY Root remembered. But any thoughts of the boy being outmatched vanished as soon as Jacob started batting. He played with a grace and
timing that belied his small frame, effortlessly scoring a century. Root watched, transfixed. rCLHe just had everything,rCY he said during a podcast with Stick to Cricket. rCLLike he had all the shots. Even though he might
not have had the power, he could hit the ball,rCY added Root. The natural talent was undeniable.

The impression only deepened later at the Bethell family home. The scene
was a perfect portrait of a budding cricketerrCOs life. First, Jacob was outside, diligently knocking a ball on a string, rehearsing his shots
with focus. But later, Root noticed the boy had disappeared. Curious, he
went inside to check on him. He found the ten-year-old Jacob absorbed in
an episode of Grand Designs, a show about ambitious architecture. For
Root, this was the final, convincing detail. The boy possessed a quiet maturity and concentration that was remarkable for his age. He was, as
Root later described, rCLan old soul.rCY

The entire experience left a powerful mark on the England star. Root was
so convinced of JacobrCOs destiny that he took action as soon as he
returned to England. rCLI tried to get Yorkshire to sign him,rCY he
revealed, personally recommending the young prodigy to the management at
his home county. He believed so strongly in the boy from Barbados that
he wanted to bring him into the professional system immediately.

While Yorkshire did not ultimately sign him, as Jacob would later attend
Rugby School and join the Warwickshire academy, Root never forgot the
tiny boy with the big talent. Their story came full circle years later
in the most poetic way imaginable. In an ODI for England, Joe Root
walked out to bat. His partner at the other end was none other than a
grown-up Jacob Bethell. From the non-strikerrCOs end, Root had the best
seat in the house as the player he had discovered hammered his maiden international century during a match against South Africa.

After the game, RootrCOs assessment reflected his feelings from a decade prior. rCL[Jacob] is wise beyond his years and very clear how he wants to play,rCY he said. The circle was complete. The journey that began in
Barbados had reached its first major milestone, with the man who first believed in him standing right by his side.



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