England batsman Ian Bell accepts his form in the “brutal environment” of Test cricket hasn’t been good enough lately, but believes a promotion to No.3 on his home ground will help him come good in the third Ashes Test.
England’s most experienced batsman, having made his Test debut 11 years ago, Bell has struggled for runs during the Ashes thus far with scores of one, 60, one and 11 in the first two matches.
There had been speculation that, with England repeatedly suffering top-order collapses, Bell might be dropped for the third Test at his Warwickshire home ground starting on Wednesday after Australia levelled the five-match series with a crushing 405-run at Lord’s.
England were skittled out for just 103 in the second innings at Lord’s as Australia won with more than a day to spare.
But rather than being dropped, Bell has been promoted to No.3 in place of the axed Gary Ballance with Jonny Bairstow, averaging over a hundred in the County Championship for Yorkshire, called up into the Test side.
“It’s a brutal environment you have to perform,” the 33-year-old Bell told the BBC on Monday.
“I know I haven’t performed to the best of my ability in the last two months … The only thing I can do really is focus on what’s in hand, a home Test match – always great fun, know the ground inside out, I’ve got to enjoy myself.”
Meanwhile Joe Root, who made 134 and 60 in England’s 169-run win in the first Test in Cardiff, said that while no one had a divine right to an England place, Bell was capable of putting his poor run of scores behind him at Edgbaston.
“I think every international player is playing for his place at all times,” Yorkshire batsman Root told reporters at Edgbaston on Monday.
“Obviously some guys are scoring more consistently than others, but Ian’s record is fantastic.
“He’s playing at his home ground and it’s obviously an Ashes series, which last time it was in England he was outstanding, so I’m sure he will be dying to get back out there and lay a big marker down.”
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