(CMC) – Barbadian Jacob Bethell has been appointed vice-captain of England Under-19s for their ICC World Cup campaign in the Caribbean next month.

The left-hander, who completed high school in Barbados and also represented the island in the West Indies Under-15 Championship up to three years ago, is part of a 15-man squad who will be led by captain Tom Prest.

The holder of a United Kingdom passport, Bethell subsequently took up a scholarship in England and signed for Warwickshire earlier this year, making his debut for the county in the T20 Blast.

He also featured for England when West Indies Under-19s toured the UK for a six-match one-day series last September.
Head coach Richard Dawson said the January 14 to February 5 campaign would be a major stepping stone for the selected group.

“It’s always a hugely exciting moment for any young cricketer to be selected in a representative age-group squad, especially so when it’s for a World Cup,” he pointed out.

“We’re really looking forward to getting out there and testing ourselves against the best young players in the world, and continuing our development as a side and as individuals.”

England have been installed in Group A alongside minnows United Arab Emirates and Canada, along with Bangladesh, and will be expected to easily advance to the second round.

Four nations – Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago – will host matches during the tournament, with the final carded for the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua.

SQUAD – Tom Prest (captain), Jacob Bethell (vice-captain), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Aspinwall, Sonny Baker, Nathan Barnwell, George Bell, Josh Boyden, James Coles, Alex Horton, Will Luxton, James Rew, James Sales, Fateh Singh, George Thomas.

RESERVES: Josh Baker, Ben Cliff.