Ton-derful: Ian Bell became England's third tour centurion
Ian Bellprovided the best batting of England’s Ashes tour so far after Kevin Pietersenhad fallen in worryingly familiar fashion here this morning.
Bell, who has looked in the form of his lifein Australia, oozed class as he moved to 121 out of England’s 335 for five, alead of 105 over Australia A after two days of this four-day match at theBellerive Oval.
Yet if Bell, desperate to prove toAustralia just how good he is in his fourth Ashes series, is more than readyfor the first Test in Brisbane next week then Pietersen has once again become aconcern.
Pietersen said that he was‘on fire’after his half-century in England’s opening tour match against WesternAustralia and looked set to put his problems behind him in the biggest seriesof them all.
But his apparent fallibility againstleft-arm spin resurfaced as he missed a straight ball from the innocuous SteveO’Keefe and saw it clip the top of his off-stump when he was on only five.
Pietersen has never been one to thrivein warm-up games but he would have liked to have spent more time in the middlehere with just a week to go before the Gabba.
At that stage of a day interrupted fivetimes by showers England were in trouble at 137 for five, still 93 behindAustralia A, after losing three wickets for just 13 runs in 37 balls.
Yet Bell, who became the third Englandplayer to score a century on this tour after Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook,joined forces with Paul Collingwood to transform a match that, until then, hadbeen dominated by ball in cold, bowler friendly conditions.
While Collingwood, who finished theday unbeaten on 74, provided the solidity Bell was the epitome of flair, racingto his 50 off 55 balls and his hundred off 113 balls with 13 fours and a six.He is the only batsman in this match so far to truly conquer a green, livelypitch.
Not only did Bell put England in aposition to push for their second victory in three warm-up matches ahead of thebig day in Brisbane he also quite possibly hit Steve Smith out of contentionfor Australian first Test selection.
Smith had looked an effectivebatsman here on Wednesday, increasing his hopes of earning a middle order berthfor the Ashes, but it is as a leg-spinner that Australia would really like himto progress.
Now, held back until the 56thover by Australia A captain Cameron White, Smith was unable to settle as Bellgot after him from the off, hitting him for three consecutive fours in hisfirst over and continuing to attack him throughout.
Contrasting fortunes: Pietersen took a backwards step as Bell (right) oozed class Down Under
Smith, who bowled a succession offull tosses and other loose deliveries, was certainly overshadowed by O’Keefe,who also lured Alastair Cook into holing out at mid-off attempting to hit overthe top.
At least Cook, who made a centuryagainst South Australia in Adelaide, spent some more valuable time in themiddle in reaching a carefully compiled 60, mainly in company with JonathanTrott.
Cutting loose: Ian Bell tamed the green pitch
Trott is the only member of theEngland top six who has yet to make a half century on tour and he will havebeen furious to fall to a misjudged pull for the second successive match nineruns away from what would have been a reassuring landmark.
While Trott may have to re-assesshis approach to the short ball in this series then so too surely will Australiacaptain Ricky Ponting.
End of KP: Pietersen is bowled by Steve O'Keefe for just five
The home skipper, who has started to look fallibleagainst the short ball in the last 18 months, was also out hooking yesterday,in his case falling to his Australia team-mate Shane Watson playing forTasmania against New South Wales.
That news, together with someincreasingly ragged bowling from Australia’s second string, meant that Englandwill again be well pleased with their efforts today. Apart, that is, from asmall cloud hovering over Pietersen.
AUSTRALIA A v ENGLAND SCOREBOARD
Overnight:Australia A 230 (S N J O'Keefe 66, S P D Smith 59; C T Tremlett 4-54). England 22-1
ENGLAND 1st INNINGS CONTINUED
A N Cook c McKay b O'Keefe 60
M S Panesar c Cameron b McKay 13
I J L Trott c Khawaja b Cameron 41
K P Pietersen b O'Keefe 5
P D Collingwood not out 74
I R Bell not out 121
Extras lb1 w2 nb8 11
Total5 wkts (89 overs)335
Fall:1-20 2-37 3-124 4-127 5-137
To bat:M J Prior, T T Bresnan, A Shahzad, C T Tremlett.
Bowling:Cameron 20-1-88-2, George 17-4-66-0, McKay 21-5-54-1, O'Keefe 21-3-70-2, Smith 10-1-57-0
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