Bell chimes for England

Ian Bell trains at Basin Reserve on Tuesday © Getty Images

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Ian Bell is confident England’s powerful top six can shrug off their timid display in Hamilton and perform to their potential in this week’s second Test against New Zealand.

Despite fielding a top order with every player boasting a Test average over 40, England struggled to assert themselves with the bat throughout the 189-run opening Test defeat.

It took them 173 overs to score 348 runs in the first innings and, chasing a victory target of 300 off 81 overs on the final day, they slumped to 110 all out despite an unbeaten 54 from Warwickshire batsman Bell.

That display has been blamed on a lack of confidence currently affecting the dressing room, but Bell believes they have learned their lesson from the disappointing performance at Seddon Park and are now ready to dominate during this week’s Test at the Basin Reserve.

“I’m not sure about a lack of confidence, but maybe we put a bit of pressure on ourselves,” admitted Bell. “We just need to free it up a little bit and back ourselves.

“There are some very good records there in the top six and we need to go out there, play naturally, see the ball and just hit it and get back to the way we used to score runs.

“We’ve just got to get back to the way we used to play, be a little more instinctive and get out there and be more positive in this Test match.”

But England are equally aware they cannot start this Test playing gung-ho, aggressive strokeplay either and must find a happy medium between their performance at Hamilton and more successful times like 2005 when they scored 407 in 79.2 overs on the opening day of the second Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

Steve Harmison and Stuart Broad could be competing for a single place © Getty Images

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“It’s a very fine balance,” stressed Bell. “I don’t think anyone is too worried when they go out to bat or more nervous than normal, but sometimes you have to come back at the bowlers a bit more and not just sit in there.

“What we’ve been guilty of perhaps a little bit is sitting in there a little bit too much rather than taking it to them a little bit more and hopefully in this Test we can find the right balance and show everyone what good players we are.”

Bell attended an optional net session at the ground on Tuesday which every member of the squad bar four - captain Michael Vaughan, left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom, all-rounder Paul Collingwood and key batsman Kevin Pietersen - took part in.

James Anderson was also included in the practice session and bowled in the same net as Stuart Broad and Steve Harmison, who are all competing for a place in the starting line-up.

Harmison, bowling with a fierce gale behind him, delivered a hostile spell as he attempts to keep his place.

England are expected to finalise their side following Wednesday’s practice, but Bell believes there is not much wrong with the side despite their under-par display at Seddon Park.

“There’s not much we have to change,” he added. “There’s a slightly different mindset, a few tweaks here and there and hopefully we’ll be ready.

“We’ve had a pretty good session here today and everyone is pretty excited about winning this Test match.”