Ash: True Bear Bell the perfect leader to follow

ASHLEY Giles has saluted “true Bear’’ Ian Bell after the Warwickshire skipper signed a three-year contract extension to stay with his lifelong club until at least the end of the 2020 season.

Five-time Ashes winner Bell is the most-capped England cricketer in Warwickshire’s history – with 118 Tests, 161 one-day internationals and eight T20s on his glittering CV – and has also claimed six domestic trophies, most recently leading the Bears to last year’s Royal London One-Day Cup title in his first season as club captain.

Bell, who will be 35 next week and began his professional career in 1999, last played for England in November 2015. He is one of only three Englishmen to have won five Ashes series.

He has scored 18,533 runs in firstclass cricket, including 51 centuries, and spent last winter playing in the Big Bash in Australia, where he helped Perth Scorchers to a third title.

Giles, sport director at Edgbaston, said: “Ian is a true Bear, who has been with Warwickshire since the age of 10, and has gone on to be one of the most decorated players in the club’s history.

“He continues to be one of the leading batsmen in the country across all three formats and, as our captain, he sets exceptionally high standards for the rest of the squad.

“With several young cricketers having recently graduated from the academy to senior ranks, Ian is the perfect leader for them to follow. We’re delighted he has signed this new long-term contract and will continue to be a proud Bear for many years to come.”

Bell added: “Warwickshire is the only county I’ve ever wanted to play for and I’m thrilled to sign this new long-term contract to remain a proud Bear and help the team to push for even more silverware.

“The club has played a huge role in my career and it’s a great honour to now captain the team and help our young, talented players fulfil their potential here at Edgbaston.”

The Bears begin their Specsavers County Championship season away to Surrey at The Kia Oval tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Bears all-rounder Chris Woakes has been named as one of Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Year.

Woakes was named alongside rising star Ben Duckett, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq and all-time record runscorer Younus Khan and Middlesex seamer Toby RolandJones in this year’s list of those to win cricket’s oldest individual award.

Wisden noted: “This was the year Chris Woakes announced himself as an international-class all-rounder.

“He took 26 wickets at 16 apiece in four Tests against Pakistan – only Abdul Qadir has managed more in a series between the sides – and contributed regular runs down the order.

“His unbeaten 95 in the one-day international against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge was a world record for a batsman at number eight or below.”