Ian Bell is ready to support England captain Kevin Pietersen by taking on added responsibility as one of the more senior players in the team, the batsman said.Bell, a veteran of 43 tests, told Reuters that after the exit of experienced players such as Marcus Trescothick, Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard it was time for him to be recognised as an elder statesman.
"I am now recognising in both the one-dayers and the tests I am one of the more senior players and that I need to go out and play like that," Bell said in an interview.
"It's an exciting thing for me to be seen as one of the senior players and to go out there and have a responsibility to deliver. It's a role I'm looking forward to having for a while, to try to lead by example.
"It's something I want to do as I have played enough test matches. I have made a switch in the batting order, from five to three, and there is an opportunity to cement my place," he said at an even organised by England's test sponsor npower.
Bell said he had already sampled life as a senior during the one-day series.
Without former captain Michael Vaughan and with Andrew Flintoff and Andrew Strauss missing in the home series against New Zealand in June, he was the second longest serving England regular behind then one-day skipper Paul Collingwood.
"It has been like that in the one-dayers for a while and it is something I have enjoyed and I have been able to be very vocal in team meetings," added Bell.-
No comments:
Post a Comment