The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) is not concerned that some of Barbados’ best youth cricketers have been opting to play for England rather than for Barbados’ senior national team as a possible route to future West Indies selection.In fact, BCA president Conde Riley believes that because these players “could walk straight into any English team”, it speaks volumes about the quality of the BCA’s development programmes at the youth level.Riley’s comments come in the wake of Barbados-born all-rounder Jacob Bethell’s outstanding performance during the recently concluded Under-19 ICC World Cup where he played for his adopted homeland England. The 18-year-old vice-captain, who represented Barbados in youth cricket, shone as he assisted England into the final for the first time in 24 years. England were eventual runners-up to champions India.Bethell is among a handful of young West Indian-born cricketers including fast bowler Jofra Archer, with family ties to the United Kingdom, that have seized on opportunities to represent England instead of donning the regional maroon.During an interview with BBC Sport, Bethell reasoned that the opportunities to play cricket professionally in the Caribbean get less and less around the ages of 13 to 15, hence the spur to migrate and seek chances elsewhere. He said the lack of opportunities was a “bit of a shame”.
