Ashes 2013: Ian Bell rates Trent Bridge century among his best

Ian Bell said that the presence of his young family helped him reach his century at Trent Bridge © Getty Images

Jul 17, 2013

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England batsman Ian Bell, who scored a match-turning 109 in the first Test of The Ashes at Trent Bridge, said that the knock was his best against Australia.

“I think it was my best, in Ashes cricket definitely,” Bell was quoted as saying by the Telegraph. “I probably would not have been able to play that situation three or four years ago.”

Bell said that he took inspiration from his skipper Alastair Cook‘s prolific form in England’s tour of India last winter. “Having come from that tour of India where I watched the way Alastair Cook had played by bringing the tempo down a notch, I started to find a bit of rhythm doing that and I took that into Trent Bridge,” said Bell.

While the pitch at Trent Bridge was dry and took the pace off the quick bowlers, the one at Lord’s, which will host the second Test starting Thursday, is bound to offer some more pace.

Speaking about how he plans to counter Australia’s strong pace attack comprising Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson at Lord’s, Bell said, “The one thing you can guarantee about an Australian pace attack is that they will keep coming at you all day.

“The bouncer didn’t really go through at Trent Bridge for Pattinson, who is sharp, but it looks like he will hit the bat hard at Lord’s. But, very typically Australian, they won’t give up which is why in Ashes cricket you cannot switch off even for an over or two.”

Bell became a father last December midway through the India series and said that it’s nice to have his young family with him during The Ashes, and that it helped him reach his century in the first Test.

“It is nice to completely get away from the game,” said Bell. “I think that helped when I was on 95 overnight [on Friday] at Trent Bridge. The family were at the hotel.

“Obviously, it wasn’t the best night’s sleep but it was nice to do other things and have some fun with them rather than just be sat in my room thinking: ‘Oh just five more runs to get tomorrow.’ Instead, I could worry about that when I got to the ground.”