Sri Lanka v England Day Four Preview: Bell key to England's mammoth task

Test previews / Ed Hawkins / 28 March 2012 /

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Ian Bell played a knock of sheer class in the first innings

"As for England, they are expected to battle hard on day four but, ultimately, be undone by the mammoth task at hand on a crumbling pitch."

It's difficult to understand how the Ian Bell who played magnificently in the first innings of this match is the same one who failed so miserably against Pakistan. He will be crucial if England are to come out on top in one of the toughest run chases ever, says Ed Hawkins.

If there has been one bright spot from a dismal England performance with the bat in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, it was the first-innings half-century from Ian Bell.
Bell had come into the Test in horrible form, having failed three times in the warm-up matches and had his technique picked apart following a shallow return in the three-Test series against Pakistan.

Some might reckon it is difficult to work out why Bell had suffered such a dip - it was his first 50 in nine international innings - other than to reason that it was the kind of trough that every batsmen wallows in from time to time.

Of course, the harsh light of the international circuit exposes weaknesses more readily than most but none more so than the spotlight on the England team. At any given time over the last few years there has been a player 'under pressure for his place'.

Before Bell it was Kevin Pietersen, who stopped being a target as soon as he made back-to-back centuries against Pakistan in the one-day international series in the UAE.

There were rumblings, too, that Graeme Swann would be next but he went and spoiled it all with six wickets in Sri Lanka's second innings in this Test.

Andrew Strauss, the captain, is likely to be the new man to be put under the spotlight, having failed twice under the shadow of the imposing Dutch fort, twice to injudicious shots. His average has dipped into the low 30s over the last 12 months and that will provide the main ammunition for the snipers.

But perhaps Bell might be capable of suggesting a ceasefire is in order in this boring phoney war. If ever proof was needed that form is temporary, class is permanent, it was Bell in the first innings.

The Warwickshire man struck eight fours and one six in his 117-ball vigil but it was not a stupefying knock. There were moments of delicate brilliance, including the odd skip down the track to launch a bowler straight over his head.

How can this be the same player who in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in January scored a grand total 36 runs in four innings? Because four Tests ago he scored 235 against India at The Oval. And four Tests before that he scored a century against Sri Lanka at Southampton, his fourth in four Tests.

Cricketers, particularly batsmen, do not become bad players overnight. Bell, like everyone else, has indifferent periods when the feet become heavy and the hands are unsure. During these times punters can make money from their troubles. They can often be a Godsend. Just as important to take advantage of are the good times, though, and Bell might be about to enter such a period.

As for England, they are expected to battle hard on day four but, ultimately, be undone by the mammoth task at hand on a crumbling pitch. Their target of 340 runs would equal the 12th-highest fourth innings total to win in Test history but would almost certainly rank as No 1 if the nature of the pitch was taken into consideration.

Sri Lanka are [1.49] with England [3.10] and the draw [75.00]. Runs, of course, will force Sri Lanka's price down and if one does not fancy Bell at [3.15] for a 50, get with the hosts if they hit [1.60] or more.

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