| A more competent cricketer than his comical | | | | Australia and England, Bell had fair returns when he |
| nickname "Belly" suggests; Ian Ronald Bell is an | | | | played the other countries. With 3000 runs after 46 |
| actually an accomplished batsman with a good record | | | | Tests and a batting average that oscillates around |
| in international matches. Whether it's a Test match, | | | | the 40-mark, Bell has a good record. However, his |
| First-class match, ODI or 20/20 game, Bell has | | | | batting became more inconsistent over the years. His |
| proved to be versatile and adaptable. Mixing studied | | | | 2005 batting average was 44.43 in 2005 but was a |
| defence with belligerent shots has been the hallmark | | | | less impressive 37.55 in 2008. |
| of his game since he made his debut at the age of | | | | Unsurprisingly, "Belly" is more dominant at home than |
| 17 in a First Class match. | | | | away. There was a huge differential of 9.5 runs in |
| Bell was born in Coventry, England on April 11th, 1982. | | | | favour of his 'home' matches at the end of 2008. |
| The lad with the face of a mischievous English | | | | Bell's statistics reveal that he also seems to favour |
| schoolboy, developed into a stylish right-handed | | | | batting in the middle where there is significantly less |
| batsman and an occasional medium-pace bowler. | | | | pressure. However, Bell has a good technique and |
| Unsurprisingly, he made his debut for his home | | | | fortitude to make it through the bad patches. At the |
| county, Warwickshire. Up to 2009, Warwickshire is | | | | time of writing, Bell is 26 years old and still learning his |
| the only county side that Bell has played for. | | | | craft. Batting in conditions unknown to him, |
| With the number of players on the county circuit, it is | | | | particularly in Asia, is a challenge that he must |
| usually difficult to break into the England cricket team. | | | | overcome. |
| Bell's abundant batting talent earned him a debut at | | | | While his technique and acumen in the longer version |
| the age of 22 against the West Indies at The Oval in | | | | of the game were noted for some time, Bell has |
| London. In compiling 70 runs in his first innings, he | | | | proved a very handy batsman in the more |
| showed good composure- looking very much like an | | | | entertaining forms of cricket. In ODIs, he has a |
| experienced Test batsman. In his next two matches | | | | healthy strike rate of 70-odd and an average in the |
| against Bangladesh, Bell plundered 227 runs without | | | | mid-30s. He even got the opportunity to captain |
| losing his wicket. | | | | England in a one-day tour match in the West Indies. |
| Although he had modest returns against the might of | | | | |