http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AN-Cook-c1026 lauds Ian Bell’s “fantastic knock” – Cricket News Update
England’s ODI skipper, Alastair Cook, has spoken out in praise of opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597, who smashed a massive 126 which propelled his team to a huge 114-run win over the West Indies at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on June 16.
“It was a really good performance from the lads and Ian at the top of the order was fantastic,” Cook said. “Him and Trotty played really well.”
“We've had to move on from KP but what a great performance from Ian at the top of the order. Fantastic knock and when you get close to 300 in any ground, it's hard to chase.”
The England ODI squad suffered a major set-back when star batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760, and four months away from the T20 World Cup, where
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 are due to defend their title in September this year.
Bell was brought in as a replacement to open with Cook, and despite having suffered a blow to the chin during practice, the 30-year-old managed to make an impressive statement on the pitch during the first ODI, equalling his highest ODI score (126), which
also happens to be the fourth-highest individual score ever registered against the West Indies by an England player.
Joining forces for a 108-run partnership with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IJL-Trott-c1576 (42), Bell’s efforts played a large part in England’s solid team total of 288.
In addition to praising the performances of his batsmen, Cook also lauded the bowlers for their efforts in restricting the tourists from getting too comfortable at the crease, and nipping threats such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DR-Smith-c1401 (who top-scored for his side, contributing
56 runs before he was dismissed by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TT-Bresnan-c2711) in the bud.
“At the top, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Smith-c90598 played really well and got them off to a flyer but I thought the way we held our nerve and came back and got them three wickets, that changed the game for us,” Cook observed.
Bresnan remained the most efficient bowler on the home team, and picked up a total of 4 for 34. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501 (4-0-21-2) also chipped in with vital contributions, and left the West Indies all out by the end of the 34th
over, at 172 – 114 runs short of the target, which marked their biggest defeat ever against the Poms.
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