Rory’s fog lamps
IT’S LAST ORDERS FOR BELL
IAN BELL’S Test career could be over now that he has become Warwickshire skipper.
That’s the claim of former captain Michael Vaughan who fears Bell will no longer be able to force his way back.
Vaughan feels the team is “moving on” under head coach Trevor Bayliss with Joe Root now firmly entrenched at No.3 and Bell, 33, was dumped from this winter’s series against Pakistan and South African after 118 Tests.
Bell (below) was elected to lead Warwickshire for the coming summer and Vaughan said: “England have moved on and are looking in good shape in terms of their batting line up and strength at the top order.
“There are youngsters also banging on the door so I really don’t see how Ian Bell at this stage of his career will get back in the side.
“I think he’ll struggle. When you see someone take over a county captaincy it’s almost the final bow of a career. But I might be proven wrong because of the amount of runs he’ll possibly score for Warwickshire.” RORY McILROY and Rickie Fowler were among a quintet tied for the lead in a fog delayed, incomplete third round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
Poor visibility had again delayed the start of play for nearly three hours, with 60 players waiting to complete their second rounds. But four-time Major winner McIlroy grazed the pin from nearly 270 yards on the final hole of his second round, eventually making an eagle.
“I couldn’t hole from outside two feet so I thought I’d hit a couple of shots within two feet on the last two holes. It glossed over a pretty average round,” said McIlroy.