Ian Bell would be pretty disappointed that he could not take advantage of the start that he had managed to get in on a green seaming wicket at Edgbaston on the first day of the third test match.
After Australia was bowled out for just 136, England lost one of the openers and Bell came on to bat at his new position of no. 3.
He was willing to dominate straightaway and was playing his shots.
But, just for a second while facing the off spinner Nathan Lyon, he got a bit reckless or that cost him his wicket.
He was on 54 and could easily have gone on to convert that into a century, but, a rush of blood made him go down the track to Lyon who was smart enough to drag the length of the delivery just a little bit to ensure Bell does not get to the pitch of it.
The ball dipped on Bell and he only ended up lofting the ball in the air to be caught at the short midwicket position.
Not too many overs were remaining in the day’s play at that point of time. In fact, only 10 minutes after that, a rain break saw the umpires calling it the stumps. So, Bell would be sitting in the dressing room and would be kicking himself for the shot that he went for. (more…)