Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Hahaha I love the avatar Brumby!
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*Official* England in South Africa
- Thread starter James
- Start date
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Sorted. Bell now in my avatar.
Early runner for "weakest visual pun of the decade" I reckon.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
Very good indeedSorted. Bell now in my avatar.
Early runner for "weakest visual pun of the decade" I reckon.
tooextracool
International Coach
It's amazing how short term people's memories are. This is far from the first time we have seen Bell play a knock like this, the problem is that people just dont tend to remember things that happen beyond the previous Ashes series.
HowSTAT! Match Scorecard
Only difference, England lost. Bell top scored in both innings.
This whole Bell cant bat under pressure is a load of codswallop, and Im tired of hearing it from even well read members on this forum and commentators. His problem is and always has been the ability to convert his 50s into 100s particularly on tracks that are not dead flat. Well done to him, but his 141 has shown more signs of him turning the corner than his 78.
HowSTAT! Match Scorecard
Only difference, England lost. Bell top scored in both innings.
This whole Bell cant bat under pressure is a load of codswallop, and Im tired of hearing it from even well read members on this forum and commentators. His problem is and always has been the ability to convert his 50s into 100s particularly on tracks that are not dead flat. Well done to him, but his 141 has shown more signs of him turning the corner than his 78.
Woodster
International Captain
What another extraordinary finish to a Test! Didn't give us a great chance of holding out today and am so pleased Ian Bell was an integral part of our survival in a very highly pressurised situation. He will take huge confidence from this, despie getting out towards the death, which was a dam shame.
This really is a team with a lot of fight and players that are not willing to accept what you may think is inevitable. Obviously Collingwood is a major part of this, his mental approach has never been questioned and he seems to be dragging the side into his way of thinking and of applying themselves when it matters (barring the dismissals in the 1st inns).
The supposedly mentally weak Bell has overcome a huge hurdle today, one innings does not make up for a number of other occasions where he has let himself down, but what this does for Bell should be a good thing for England going forward.
Steyn v Collingwood after lunch with the new ball was a fantastic contest.
This really is a team with a lot of fight and players that are not willing to accept what you may think is inevitable. Obviously Collingwood is a major part of this, his mental approach has never been questioned and he seems to be dragging the side into his way of thinking and of applying themselves when it matters (barring the dismissals in the 1st inns).
The supposedly mentally weak Bell has overcome a huge hurdle today, one innings does not make up for a number of other occasions where he has let himself down, but what this does for Bell should be a good thing for England going forward.
Steyn v Collingwood after lunch with the new ball was a fantastic contest.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Yeah I've brought up that game before in response to that sort of critcism. He does need to do it more often tbf.
tooextracool
International Coach
The thing that frustrates me with Bell is that he gets so many starts and then throws it away. Looking at his career, he now has 9 100s, out of which 3 came against a Pakistan attack with their 2nd string bowlers, 1 against Bangladesh, and the 199 came on a track that was loaded well in favor of the batters. When he stops scoring attractive looking 30s-40s-50s-60s and 70s and starts scoring 100s instead, that's when I'll start taking him seriously, because if he doesn't, his place will always come under threat whenever he is out of form.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Only that, eh? Always thought not losing was overrated too.
& I don't think anyone has suggested today's knock was more of a turning point than his 140 (run stolen from him post mortem), have they?
Bell's issue was and remains his ability to get himself out. He smacked a wide long-hop down backward point's throat in the first dig and appeared to be attempting to present the face of his bat to a climber from Morkel (which was a great nut for the first of a spell, to give credit where it's due), which was a disappointing end to another diligent effort.
aussie
Hall of Fame Member
Coincidentally i'd say Bell's 50 vs AUS in furst innings in Brisbane is his best test innings to date IMO..
Woodster
International Captain
Bell certainly needs to become more run-hungry, really dig in when he does get stuck in the 60's, 70's, grind out a few runs before his fluency returns. He needs to maintain the way he bats at the start of his innings throughout, Jayawardene is always a good example of not trying to up his strike rate to around 80, he's just content piling on the runs and remaining patientn when times are tough.
Bell's naturally attractive strokeplay means he will pick up runs, he needs to remain fully concentrated and never satisifed with a pretty 60. I have always wanted Bell to score scruffy runs, if you like, times when his timing is not impeccable and his movements and technique is not quite in sync, it is probably these times when he has given things away as averse to really digging in and battling through these periods.
Bell's naturally attractive strokeplay means he will pick up runs, he needs to remain fully concentrated and never satisifed with a pretty 60. I have always wanted Bell to score scruffy runs, if you like, times when his timing is not impeccable and his movements and technique is not quite in sync, it is probably these times when he has given things away as averse to really digging in and battling through these periods.
Stapel
International Regular
Yeah..., probably better next weekend though.Too much snow to skate?
Stapel
International Regular
I'm still puzzled how Colly survived that! Especially when watching the half a dozen near misses in a row...
four_or_six
Cricketer Of The Year
I was definitely wrong about saying that Bell shouldn't have been playing at the beginning of this series.
Though, I'm inclined to put this down to the fact that Swann has done a good job since he was assigned to be Bell's batting buddy.
Though, I'm inclined to put this down to the fact that Swann has done a good job since he was assigned to be Bell's batting buddy.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
Bell played a decent pressure knock at The Oval I thought as well. Think he's topping the averages for the series now, without checking, he's there or thereabouts anyhow. Fair play to him, obviously it would have been nice to see him stay there until the end today but that aside we couldn't have asked too much more from him.
Thinking about the averages, it was when he was not out that his was the highest, but anyway, it's nice to see the way he and Cook have responded to their places being under threat. Indicative of our team spirit as a whole really, we generally bounce back from disappointment with a belter of a performance.
Moving forwards I can't see anything other than an unchanged team next time out. Five bowlers is highly unlikely given that we only need to draw, I believe that we will win the Test and with it the series. It's stressful but really, it's quite a bit of fun being an England fan of late.
Thinking about the averages, it was when he was not out that his was the highest, but anyway, it's nice to see the way he and Cook have responded to their places being under threat. Indicative of our team spirit as a whole really, we generally bounce back from disappointment with a belter of a performance.
Moving forwards I can't see anything other than an unchanged team next time out. Five bowlers is highly unlikely given that we only need to draw, I believe that we will win the Test and with it the series. It's stressful but really, it's quite a bit of fun being an England fan of late.