Ian Bell urges side to do everything right in the next two Tests to secure No. 1 status – Cricket News Update
The prolific middle order batsman of England, Ian Bell on Tuesday urged his teammates to be at their absolute best in the next two Tests against South Africa to secure their World No. 1 Test status.
Speaking to media reporters after facing an innings and 12 runs crushing at the hands of on tour South Africa, in the opening Test at The Oval, Bell said that being World No. 1 is not an easy task as it prompts the opposing teams to do their ultimate best to beat them.
“Opposing teams see us a bit differently now. Maybe they turn up desperately wanting to beat us because we are ranked No.1 and we have to react to that,” said the 30-year-old http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Warwickshire-c862 batsman on Tuesday.
England, who climbed to the top of the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, 4-0 at home last summer, have their number one status online. A series win will see current Test No. 3 South Africa moving to the top of the rankings table, and the Proteas are just one win, or two draws away from the reaching the milestone.
And http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597, who led England’s resistance in the second innings of the Oval Test, with a painstaking half-century, urged his teammates to do everything possible to hold on to No. 1.
“In the next two Tests, we have to go out and fight for every single run and wicket and try to hold on to No.1,” he added further.
Replying to a query regarding the struggle of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c749’s seam bowlers in the opening Test, Bell said that the credit goes to the South African batsmen, who did not let the English attack penetrate.
"Our attack has been so good for so long and, even on flat wickets in the sub-continent, they normally excel and take 20 wickets," said Bell. "But for some reason it didn't quite work in this game. Maybe that is credit to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 who really made it count when they got in,” he added further.
The second Test gets underway at Leeds on August 2.
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