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We’re way past Ian Bell 2.0. Being as he’s 33 and batting at three, we’re going to call this incarnation Ian Bell 33.3. Hopefully that won’t prove to be its batting average.
Most of the previous Ian Bells have looked solid only to get out in infuriating fashion when you least expected it. This new version’s different. This one seems hell-bent on scoring at at least a run a ball and consequently its dismissal only ever feels a delivery away. But it’s fun while it lasts. It rattles along at a frightening rate, pinging drives through the covers and slicing back-cuts between the slip fielders like its risk-assessment circuits have malfunctioned.
It was also good to see England attack a victory target with gusto. You can sometimes inch to a win and leave the opposition feeling more uplifted than you are. This was more akin to getting a few bonus jabs in before the next round. ‘Remember last time you bowled to me and I flayed you for three boundaries every over?’ you seem to say as you walk to the middle in the next Test.
Ian Bell.
It was so, so good to be at Edgbaston the last couple of days. But where was Bert today? Surely not discussing commercial logistics solutions while the rest of us are having so much fun?
Early for my train, sitting in an open air cafe taking the early evening sun…it doesn’t get much better than this ever!
Ian Bell wants to open in ODIs again. The thing is that, unlike Cook, he might actually be able to do it, only we’ve got other people who are better at it than him.
He made a slip catch this match as well.
If you want someone to score 50 (but not 100) for England, he’s your man.
The toffee hammer of eternal justice.
Went past Stewart in international runs for England today. By the end of the series might have overtaken Gooch too.
Get him back in the ODI side, should never have been dropped.