Ian Bell looking to cement place in ODI top order – Cricket News Update
After his match-winning 126 against the West Indies at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on June 16, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597 is looking to continue in a similar vein, in order to prove his worth at the top of the order
“Hopefully I can have more days like this in the future. I believe I'm a better player now than I was the last time I was at the top of the order with England,” he said. “I've enjoyed the success with the Test matches so hopefully I can take that confidence
into one-day cricket now.”
The 30-year-old was brought in to open with skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806, announced his abrupt retirement from international limited-overs cricket.
The gap in the top order, left by the flamboyant batsman, proved to be a dilemma for the selectors and skipper Cook alike – Bell emerged as the most viable candidate out of options such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/C-Kieswetter-c1206 (whose technique has not been considered
sufficiently sound), and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IJL-Trott-c1576 (who is unlikely to be promoted up the order to open with Cook).
Prior to the current series against the West Indies, Bell played his last ODI in October 2011, against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 earlier this year in the UAE.
However, he was included in the Test squad for the same tour, during which he managed the unremarkable scores of 0, 29, and 5. It was a similar story in the two-match Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in March/April this year, during which he contributed 52
and 18.
However, batting at number 5, Bell remained among England’s most consistent performers throughout the Test series against the West Indies, registering scores of 76*, 22, 61, and 63*. His current knocks prompted selectors to give him a shot at opening in
ODIs and Bell proceeded to prove his worth with a massive 126.
“I really enjoyed it and it was nice to go out there and play some shots at the top of the order,” he said. “I thought if I could play like I had done in the Test series, fingers crossed I could make some runs.”
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