Pressure on Bell to fill Pietersen’s shoes

By: Tom Mallows

From the moment we saw Kevin Pietersen limping across the field and grimace after every batting stroke it became clear we would not see much more of him for the rest of this summer.

The arguments over his rehabilitation and whether he should have gone to the IPL and played in the Twenty/20 World Cup while carrying the injury will no doubt rumble on, especially if England go on and lose the series with Australia.

It was apparent he was struggling right from the first day in Cardiff and scores of 69, 8, 32 and 44 since have showed that. But despite the lack of runs it is Pietersen’s sheer presence and his destructive ability to rapidly take the game from his opponent that makes him such a big loss.

But Pietersen’s loss is Ian Bell’s gain. Not a straight swap by any means. England doesn’t have anyone quite like KP. But Edgbaston represents a massive opportunity for the Warwickshire batsman to show he is good enough at International level.

Bell last played for England in February but was dropped after England’s defeat to the West Indies in Jamaica. Since then he has amassed 640 runs in seven County Championship games this season.

Bell’s talent and ability has never been in question, many people in the game say he is one of the country’s technically gifted players. But it is transferring that talent onto the Test Match stage that has proved the problem - especially against Australia.

Despite averaging just over 40 in tests in his 10 Ashes appearances he has scored just 502 runs, at an average of just 25.10.The Australians, it appears, can get under Bell’s skin and they will no doubt be boosted by his presence instead of Pietersen.

However, as we have seen this is a very different Australian side than the one Bell has faced in the past. Even their famed ‘sledging’ tactics out in the middle has been toned down at the request of Cricket Australia.

But they still have talented players, despite what the British press are saying. England would be foolish to underestimate them and believe the series is any way in the bag – they came from behind to beat South Africa remember.

Is this finally Bell’s chance to flourish without the likes of Warne and McGrath? Or will the wounded Aussies bounce back from Lord’s and once again target Bell and intimidate him enough to give his wicket away?