Bell fears allayed

Ian Bell is escorted off the field less than an hour into the first morning of the opening Test

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England batsman Ian Bell suffered heavy bruising to his right hand while fielding during the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton.

Bell, who was standing about five paces from the bat at short leg, suffered the injury attempting to protect himself after opener Matthew Bell pulled a short delivery from left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom in the 11th over of the match.

He collapsed immediately after being hit on the hand and, after being initially examined by physiotherapist Kirk Russell, he was sent to hospital for an X-ray amid fears he may have broken his hand.

The initial X-rays failed to pick up any fracture and Bell, forced to watch from the sidelines with his arm in a sling, will continue to have ice treatment before being re-assessed on Thursday.

England also confirmed that seamer James Anderson, who fielded as a replacement for Bell, has been released to play a first-class match for Auckland against Wellington starting on Thursday.