Ian Bell - Photo FatMandy CCANCND
No Kevin Pietersen for the rest of the series, so it falls to Ian Bell to shore up England’s middle order and mark his return to the side with some meaningful runs. And if the headline in the Sun is to believed, he’s ready to do it with a vengeance:
I’ll make Aussies pay for my pain
Wow - fiery. Let’s see what constitutes words angry enough to justify that headline:
“When you have played a considerable amount for your country, when you are not there it really hurts.
Ok, so it begins with the pain - good start.
“You miss what you used to do a hell of a lot.
More pain, yes…
“You will do everything you can to get back into that team. You are desperate to get back into an England shirt.
Some focus and determination in light of the pain…
“When I got back from the West Indies after the winter tour, I really had to put the Ashes to the back of my mind.
Forgetting about the Ashes? That’s not very fashionable? Most Englishmen haven’t stopped talking it since 2005.
“I had to get the runs in county cricket with Warwickshire to give myself a chance to be part of the Ashes and overall I’ve done that.
“It was important for me to keep in good form in case there was an injury or someone was showing a lack of form.”
So it’s really more “I’ve tried to be prepared in case I’m needed” rather than “Australians will pay for my pain”.
The right-hander said of his No 4 position: “It obviously makes a lot of sense with the team playing so well at Lord’s.
“Just to swap straight in for KP makes a lot of sense.
“The team’s been playing some very good cricket and it’s just nice to be in the XI.”
“It’s just to be in the XI” - take that, Australia.
The Aussies are sure to target Bell once more, given that he averages just 25.10 in 10 Tests against them, compared to his career mark of 40.59.
And he admitted: “I’ve played well apart from against Australia. I know that - it’s in the back of my mind.
Ah, it’s in the back of his mind, just like the Ashes are. It doesn’t sound like confidence-oozing great times, does it?
“This is a different Australian team than I’ve played in the past, but a very fine one as well.
So courteous towards the Australians - he must really want to make them pay for being dropped against the West Indians in completely different circumstances several months ago.
“But cricket’s a stats game, and I’ve got those stats to put right and to improve on.”
Actually, Bell’s words are fine - there’s no need to be bullish to the press if you do the job at the wicket. But just where exactly did the Sun find the sense that Bell was keen to make the Australians pay? Suppose pain and respect don’t quite fit the narrative of a strong, confident English challenge for the Ashes.
