BELLISSIMO!
He was facing the axe but now brilliant Bell is star of stunning win
ALASTAIR COOK called on the Trent Bridge crowd to match Edgbaston’s decibel-levels as England go for Ashes glory in Nottingham next week.
Cook’s team moved into a 2-1 lead over Australia with a crushing eight-wicket win inspired by a brilliant 65 not out for the underpressure Ian Bell batting at No 3. And there was more good news for England, with Jimmy Anderson insisting he could still be fit for the series finale at The Oval.
England, who were backed by a raucous crowd, need to win one of the last two Tests to regain the urn. Australia have not come back from 2-1 down to win the Ashes for 78 years — since Don Bradman’s side in 1936-37.
Cook said: ‘We’ve got two opportunities but we’d love to do it at the first. That would be very special for this side after what we’ve been through over the last couple of years.
‘The Edgbaston crowd was up there with the loudest I can remember. With some of the chants, even guys who have played a fair bit of
cricket were looking at each other and realising how special it was. Edgbaston has been a fantastic venue for us. The challenge is, can Trent Bridge be louder? ‘When Steven Finn got two wickets in two balls it was particularly loud here. We’re very short-lived wearing the England cap and those moments don’t come around very often.’ Bell admitted he was inspired to his match-winning contribution by criticism from a former England captain. ‘With how I got out in the first innings — Geoffrey Boycott told me this morning how bad a shot that was! I wanted to be there at the end today,’ he told Sky Sports. Bell’s inclusion in the team had been questioned, but a move up the order in front of his home crowd helped his rehabilitation. ‘I’ve had a week where I could be in familiar surroundings and enjoy the great support here,’ said the Warwickshire batsman. ‘When I walked out to bat I could really feel that everyone was with me and hopefully that is just the start of me getting back into form.’ Anderson will miss the fourth Test with a side injury and was widely expected to miss the fifth, too. But England’s premier bowler said: ‘I’m hoping to be fit for The Oval. It is not an intercostal injury. Broady, who has experience of these kind of injuries, told me not to bowl another ball. I set off but pulled up and didn’t want to risk it.’ England are set to announce their squad for Trent Bridge today and will consider drafting in Derbyshire’s left-armer Mark Footitt or Yorkshire’s Liam Plunkett. Durham seamer Chris Rushworth is another option. Mark Wood, also of Durham, is fit again after missing Edgbaston with an ankle injury. Nottinghamshire’s Alex Hales may come in if England decide to drop Yorkshire opener Adam Lyth, whose twin failures here took his series tally to 72 runs at an average of 12. Durham’s Mark Stoneman is also in the running. Australia captain Michael Clarke, meanwhile, admitted he needs to contribute to a series in which he has managed only 94 runs at 18. ‘It’s always going to be hard to beat any opposition when they’ve got 11 and we only have 10,’ he said. ‘That’s how it feels. I’ve not led from the front as I’d like to.’ Clarke could drop down a place in the order to five, which would mean the out-of-form Adam Voges moving up a place, or a first game in the series for Shaun Marsh.