Reasonable 2011? Similar to saying KP's knock vs SA last summer was 'ok...' Bell wasn't the only one at sea against Ajmal - of which there is only one - and I don't see a NZ debutant or Lyon worrying any of the England players, least of all Bell who many ex-pros (and the current management) feel is one of the best players of spin England have.
Yes, a reasonable 2011. I know you can only beat whats put in front of you but the Sri Lankan, Indian and Aussie attacks that he scored runs off (as usual, immediately after someone else had done the same) were hardly stellar. The South African attack that KP butchered, on the other hand - well, I'd love to se Bell bat like that against anyone, let alone an attack for the ages.
I take your point re; mental approach - I majored in Sports Psychology in elite players at Uni - to a point. But to talk about fine margins in sport - he clears mid off and he's 'turned a corner,' or 'dominating from the off.' One shot does not a mental disintegration make. It was indeed, most likely, a result of his experiences with Ajmal, where he went totally into his shell. Therefore, he'sadapting his approach and looking to rectify his previous mistakes... What about the ton in the last test? Trott gets applauded for his mental strength and ability, yet Bell gets ignored. I genuinely feel that the old perceptions get rolled out every time he has an average series, or innings.
Flintoff did a very similar thing against Shane Warne in the Edgbaston test 2005 when in hopeless form, so I see the point you are trying to make. I do, however, think its a load of codswallop - aside from the key differences such as Flintoff being a naturally rustic player selected as a bowler who bats rather than one of your supposedly prime players, it WASN'T HIS FIRST BALL IN THE MIDST OF A COLLAPSE!
In some players we might say, ah well, it was an aberration, but from Bell? The same guy who practically burst into tears when Shane Warne called him the Shermanator? Who makes all his runs aftr someone else has already softened up the ball and the attack for him? Who has serially bottled it? No. It was concrete evidence of a guy who doesn't deserve to be feted in the way that he is.
The beauty of cricket - or any sport at elite level - is that you cannot say, 100%, that any individual player is guaranteed to save a test match, or score a goal, or make a putt - Berry's point is mute, because there aren't any players' you can rely on at, say, 50-4 with a day to go to save a game. Bell isn't guaranteed to do so, but he has in the recent past 'saved' games against SA in SA, Australia at home and India in the last series. You suggest that Bairstow and Root DEFINITELY can. After 2-3 test matches? Are they more likely to than Bell? I would pick Bell, at the present time, over Compton, Bairstow, Morgan, Bopara, Taylor and any other emerging playe
No, there are no givens. But if you were told that you would die if an English batsman couldn't last 45 overs against a top attack, I reckon Bell would be the last guy you'd ask to bat for you. You cite some examples but, well, Brigadeer Block did most of the work in two and his doubtless career saving century in the last test in India came - no shocks here with Bell - after the top four had done the hard work and broken the backs of Indian resistance already. Meanwhile, the players you'd leave out....well, where was Bell when Bairstow fended off Steyn, Philander and Morkel almost single handed? And where was he when Jor Root ON DEBUT held the first innings together? Oh, yeah, he'd got out, to shockingly inappropriate shots both times...
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