Bethell's brilliant innings offers ray of hope in defeat

South Africa 330-8 50 overs); England 325-9 50 overs)

- LAWRENCE OSTLERE AT LORD’S

Jacob Bethell was already under scrutiny this summer after playing almost no red-ball cricket, failing to score in his solitary Test match against India and failing again at Headingley in the first of three ODIs against South Africa. In between those two wickets, he endured an underwhelming Hundred and, surprisingly, was made England’s youngest-ever T20 captain for the upcoming series in Ireland.

So, here at Lord's, with England two wickets down chasing a mammoth 331 to keep the series alive, Brendon McCullum decided to throw Bethell into the fire at No 4, promoted up the order to save the game. What's a bit more pressure on a 21-year-old's shoulders?

Bethell's response was to unleash a breathtaking innings of aggression and precision, taking the game to South Africa's bowlers who included the No 1-ranked Keshav Maharaj, and thrashing them all over the ground.

Bethell's 58 off 40 balls was ultimately in vain as England fell short, losing this second ODI by five runs. But England were much better than their dismal showing at Headingley two days earlier - they couldn't have been much worse - and there were green shoots in the performances of old reliables Adil Rashid, Joe Root and Jos Buttler. And, tantalisingly, Bethell.

There remains a sense of thrilling enigma about Bethell and what he might become. Will he grow into a top-order aggressor or a middle-order finisher? Will he dominate the white ball or master the red ball, or conquer all formats of the game? Should he be bowling part-time spin? Is he captain material? And will he ever hit a century?