Three and easy for Bell

Ian Bell says he is eager to make the England number three position his own spot

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Ian Bell has pinpointed the number three position in England’s Test plans as they build towards next year’s Ashes.

Warwickshire batsman Bell has been the yo-yo among England’s top order over the past four years but hopes his latest shift is a more permanent one.

Although he failed to deliver a telling score in the victory over South Africa at the Brit Oval, having replaced former captain Michael Vaughan at first wicket down, Bell views the promotion as a pivotal moment.

Speaking at the launch of npower’s third urban cricket facility in Highgate Park, Birmingham, Bell said: “It is now a time in my career where I should not see myself, or allow other people to see me, as a young player any more.

“A lot of the players when I first walked into the dressing room are no longer around and I have 43 Test caps, so it is time to step up and deliver.

“It looks like I might get an opportunity now at number three and it is up to me to take that opportunity."

So far Bell averages just 34 in his 13 matches in the position, casting some doubt as to his long-term prospects there.

He looked England’s best batsman in the away series against Sri Lanka but an inability to turn authoritative starts into big scores let him down.

“I know I can do it, I have done it a little bit in the Ashes, but I have to start converting those fifties into hundreds like I did at Lord’s against South Africa,” he said.

Like Bell, England have been up and down in the past couple of years, and with only a maximum of nine Tests until next summer’s showdown with Australia, there is little time to gel in new captain Kevin Pietersen’s bid to win back the urn.

But Bell said: “Anyone that looks into the dressing room and sees the talent inside it would believe it is possible we can win the Ashes. There is a lot of ability.

“Like KP said, if we play like we did at The Oval, and at times this summer, we can do it."

Things could not have started any better for the new regime, however, following Pietersen’s man-of-the-match debut as Test leader.

“It will not be until the winter when we see him develop a bit more but the thing I saw from Kev this week - I know he is a big admirer of Michael (Vaughan) and the way he captained the side - was that his captaincy style is going to be very similar to the way he plays cricket,” said Bell.

“Like his batting he will trust himself to make the right call at the right time.”