Once described by Dayle Hadlee as the best 16-year old he had ever
seen, Ian Bell had been earmarked for greatness long before he was
drafted onto the England tour of New Zealand in 2001-02, as cover for
the injured Mark Butcher. Technically sound, Bell is a top-order
batsman very much in the mould of Michael Atherton, who was burdened
with similar expectations when he made his England debut a generation
ago. He finally made his Test debut against West Indies in August 2004,
stroking 70 in his only innings, before returning the following summer
to lift his career average to an obscene 297 with two unbeaten innings
against Bangladesh, including his maiden Test century at
Chester-le-Street. He struck three elegant centuries in
successive Tests against Pakistan and went to Australia with a new-found
belief, having been named ICC's young player of the year for 2006. He
was targeted by the Australian sledging, but managed four elegant
half-centuries to confirm his stature as a Test batsman. By the end of
England's disappointing World Cup campaign in March and April, Bell was
one of a handful of squad members to have established themselves in both
forms of the game. In 2009-10, on the tour of South Africa, Bell
hit a perfectly paced century while batting at No. 6 in Durban setting
England up for an innings victory that ranked, at the time, among their
finest overseas performances for a generation. Bell surpassed that
effort in the very next Test in Cape Town, with a backs-to-the-wall 78
that saved the match and ensured a share of the series.By the time the
Ashes came around in Australia in 2010, Bell had a regular place at No. 6
in the team. Bell was one of England's finest with the bat, and helped
to contribute to a 3–1 series victory, England's first in Australia
since 1986/87. During the 2011 summer, Bell was an integral part
of the team that inflicted a 4 - 0 Test whitewash over the Indian
cricket team, helping England to become the number 1 team in the world
and scoring a career best of 235. |
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