Andrew Strauss backs Ian Bell to follow his example
England captain Andrew Strauss believes Ian Bell can do what he did by returning to Test cricket a better player after being dropped from the side.
Bell will replace the injured Kevin Pietersen for the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston after being dropped following England’s embarrassing loss to the West Indies in Jamaica in February.
Warwickshire batsman Bell, set to return to Test cricket on his Edgbaston home ground on Thursday, is determined to improve on a modest Test average of 25 against Australia and ease the pain of being dropped.
Strauss knows the hurt of being left out of the England team but since being recalled in New Zealand last year he has scored eight hundreds in 21 Tests at an average of 53.
“When you are left out, you realise that life goes on and if you get another opportunity it’s a massive positive and something that you can’t really lose on,” Strauss said on Wednesday.
“That as a mindset is a pretty good place to be.
“Ian’s done a lot of work. We sent him away and it was a pretty bitter pill to swallow.
“He’s done a lot of fitness work, scored a lot of runs for Warwickshire, he’s done everything we’ve asked of him and he’s had to dig pretty deep to do that. So I think he’s going to be a better batsman for that experience.
“It’s not much fun when you are out of it but it makes you very, very hungry when you come back in.”
England are 1-0 up in the series with three to play after their 115-run second Test win at Lord’s.
Pietersen may be one of the most attacking batsmen in world cricket but Strauss urged his top order to play smart cricket.
“When Ian’s playing well he scores pretty quickly, just in a different style to KP I suppose,” Strauss said.
“A lot has been talked about taking the game to the Aussies, and that’s important, but what is even more important is playing the situations well.
“Even in that Lord’s Test, there were times when bowlers bowled a number of maidens in a row and you’ve got to suck that up.”
While England know they will be without Pietersen for the rest of the series, they remain optimistic all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, whose fast bowling on the fifth morning at Lord’s did much to seal victory, will remain fit following ice treatment on his right knee.
Flintoff bowled in practice on Tuesday and Strauss said: “He bowled two good spells, one in the middle, one in the nets, and he seemed to come through those okay,” Strauss said.
“It’s always the case that you’ve got to see how he responds to bowling more than actually what happens when he’s bowling.
“He’s recovered pretty well from Lord’s, so we are still optimistic he’s going to be fine.”
England have won two of their last three Ashes Tests at Edgbaston, although four years ago they were given a huge scare before achieving a two-run victory which helped them bounce back to a 2-1 series success in 2005.
Edgbaston has a reputation as one of England’s more raucous Test match crowds and Strauss said: “When the crowd get behind you, it’s a pretty motivating force and probably not much fun for the Aussies if they are getting sledged from the sidelines.
“If we can use that to our advantage, that’s going to be great.
“Edgbaston is one of the grounds that is probably most atmospheric. Here and Headingley (where the fourth Test takes place) is where the guys like to voice their opinions. When we are playing well it’s a fantastic place to play.”
Victory at Edgbaston would mean England could not lose the series and Strauss is well aware going 2-0 up would put his side in a dream position.
However, he insisted: “One thing we are very conscious of is not resting on our laurels now we are 1-0 up.
“We’ve got a fantastic opportunity this week to build on that. Complacency is the furthest thing from our minds at the moment. We are expecting a much harder Test match this week and I think we’re ready for it.”
