Why Ian Bell should be in England's Ashes Team...

[Bob Bamber]

As this Winter's Ashes series draw nearer England will have to make a selection over who bats where , and more importantly why.

So I am going to make the case for Ian Bell. The Only one of the Bell - Cook - Collingwood triangle to play and major part in an Ashes win (So Far...). So why should a man averaging 17.10 against the aforementioned be involved. A man with war wounds from the last tour.

Well the simple arguement is his international career. He has the tenth highest international test average in the world over the past two years. A length of time spanning his test career from way back when he squared off against the West Indies in his first test. The List of Players: http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/TopTen.asp.

Who would you pick from Bell , Collingwood and Cook.

For Me Cook and Bell.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Bell still averages less than Colly when you remove the Bangladesh freebies and I still wouldn't trust Bell to deliver if there's a bit of pressure on him or there's not a load of soft runs to accumulate from one end. Colly's fielding is worth a good 5-10 runs per innings more than the other batsmen anyway - which is usually overlooked.

Anyway I'd have all 3 and hope Bell can continue to flourish in the little bit softer number 6 slot.

 

[Matteh]

Quite simply i'd feel more confident having Cook and Bell in the team than Collingwood. Bell has clearly regained his form this summer and Cook has taken his chance well and produced some very useful performances since coming into the team.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Strictly in terms of technique to succeed in Australia, I'd back Bell ahead of all three. Cook looks very uncertain against legspin, and Collingwood looks like he might struggle against quick, short bowling.

 

[vic_orthdox]

...because he's made 3 hundreds in 3 Tests?

 

[Sanz]

Bell & Cook.

 

[adharcric]

I would never feel confident with Collingwood in my middle-order, but he is a good guy to have later on when the heat is on. Cook and Bell around Pietersen for me, but Collingwood should probably stay as well, rather than Mahmood/Plunkett/Anderson. I don't see Mahmood, Plunkett or Anderson troubling the Aussies consistently, so Bell, Collingwood and Pietersen need to bowl 20 overs among them to relieve Flintoff, Harmison, Hoggard and Panesar.

 

[Perm]

Personally I would have all three. Cook, Pieterson, Collingwood and Bell make up a good middle order, all having scored quite heavily during the Sri Lanka and Pakistan series. It does mean that England will go into the Ashes with only four bowlers which in turn means that Bell, Collingwood and Pieterson are going to have to bowl 5-10 overs each to ease the load on the frontline bowlers.

 

[marc71178]

Take all 3, and have Collingwood able to play the Gary Pratt role.

I notice Scaly ignores the Bangladesh games for comparisons but includes the game where Bell stuck his hand up and opened at the last minute because of injuries...

 

[GIMH]

All of them will be in the touring party : whether they all play obviously depends on which bowlers play. I'd play all three. If Flintoff comes in for Mahmood, then eight of our side have Test wickets to their name, you can trust Colly/Bell to bowl a few mediums here and there, and give KP a bowl if the conditions are right.

 

[Nate]

I`ve picked Cook and Collingwood, and I do so hanging my head in shame. I just really believe Bell will struggle against McGrath, Lee and Warne.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Take all 3, and have Collingwood able to play the Gary Pratt role.

I notice Scaly ignores the Bangladesh games for comparisons but includes the game where Bell stuck his hand up and opened at the last minute because of injuries...

What's that got to do with anything? Collingwood also had a far tougher series of games in his early England career - the sort of games Bell would have crumbled in, instead of helping ensure a draw as Collingwood was in for (which isn't very good for your batting average) and managed on two occasions. Bell can score as many soft runs as he likes he still hasn't proven he can score runs against Australia. The other two haven't either, but they've scored more runs in pressure situations and haven't a history of being useless in an entire Ashes series.

 

[alternative]

All 3 to play, with 4 bowlers..

IMO Bell has the correct technique, more than Colly or Cook.

 

[harrowdrive]

It's a nice problem for England to have.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I`ve picked Cook and Collingwood, and I do so hanging my head in shame. I just really believe Bell will struggle against McGrath, Lee and Warne.

I do kind of agree, actually. Bell looks to have by far the best technique of the 3, but he does exude a certain diffidence which I suspect would be seized on by the Oz attack. Warne tied him in knots last year & I'm sure will be quick to point that out in the winter.

If we're looking to play a 5 man attack my 3-7 would be:

Cook
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Read

 

[simmy]

Bell and Cook for me.

If Bell was dropped it would be harshest decision any selection committee has ever made. For the moment, Bell can do no wrong.

Brilliant thinking with Colly in the Gary Pratt role btw!!

 

[Jono]

Look at Ponting's average over those 2 years, unbelievable. 11 centuries in that time as well. Freakish.

Regarding the issue, I'd just play 4 bowlers.

 

[iamdavid]

All of them will be in the touring party : whether they all play obviously depends on which bowlers play. I'd play all three. If Flintoff comes in for Mahmood, then eight of our side have Test wickets to their name, you can trust Colly/Bell to bowl a few mediums here and there, and give KP a bowl if the conditions are right.

Mmm that sounds dangerous to me, throwing the ball to the likes of Collingwood, Bell and Pieterson should only be seen as a last resort. Against the Australian batting lineup in typical Aussie conditions its gonna take alot of luck for them to have any effect at all and Id only really see it as an option if they're 2-200 and desperate. Relying on them to get through 20 overs an innings combined is gonna mean a big release of pressure on the Aussie batsman and it'll allow them to seize the initiative and they probably wont look back.

Plus I dont think the batting needs all three of Collingwood, Bell and Cook. It'd be a bit of overkill, I dont see scoring runs as being the main hurdle England will face this summer, all of the top 6 have shown at least glimpses of great touch over the last few months, the pitches will be good and the Australian attack is likely to be less menacing than in previous encounters.
Bowling them out twice is going to be the challenge, and I'm not convinced a four man attack is going to do that enough to retain the Ashes. Particullarly given they wont want to overburden Flintoff.
There's a difference between having test wickets and being able to threaten or atleast maintain the pressure on the Aussie batsman and I think they need a five man attack.
To me Bell is undroppable atm, I would go with Cook over Collingwood because he's the only one Id feel completely sure about at number three and technically he's more impressive. Sadly I reckon they'll prefer Collingwood for his bowling and fielding, much as Im sure they'll prefer Giles (if he's fit) to Monty on the basis of his batting n fielding.

 

[Tomm NCCC]

Went for Bell and Collingwood

 

[honestbharani]

For me, Bell, as good as he seems to be, is still suspect against class bowling. He just doesn't strike me as a confident player. He surely has heaps of ability but he just doesnt seem confident enoug in himself wen the chips are down and he is facing all the odds. Collingwood's innings at the Oval last year was one of the best defensive innings you could have seen against someone like Shane Warne who was at his peak back then. For me, Bell is the sort of a guy who would make big scores when there isn't too much pressure on and sort of set up the game for you, but Collingwood is more likely to stay there and do the needful when the team is under the pump. I would almost always expect at least a 30+ score from Colly (at least 7 or 8 out of 10 times) and I am not so sure about Bell. Maybe Bell can play ahead of Cook, though. I am not sure of Cook's technique either against those quality bowlers. But honestly, Collingwood is a must for England in their XI during the Ashes, AFAIC. Dropping him would be a very big mistake indeed, IMHO.