'Ian Bell the right choice at No 3 for England'
Tuesday 21 July 2015 15:07, UK
England are right to move Ian Bell up to No 3 for the third Investec Ashes Test, according to Alec Stewart.
Bell has more than 7,000 Test runs for England, but the 33-year-old found his position under scrutiny after a run of just one fifty in his past 12 innings and scores of 1 and 11 in the second Test capitulation at Lord's.
Jonny Bairstow has been called up to replace Gary Ballance in the team for Edgbaston. But Bairstow will bat at No 5, with Joe Root at four and Bell keeps his place in the team and is moved up a position to No 3.
Former England captain Stewart - now Surrey's director of cricket - told Sky Sports News HQ that No 3 is the right position for Bell.
Give him a little bit more responsibility. Make it crystal clear 'we're promoting you and showing faith in you'.
He said: "Bell has a tremendous track record. He's a top-class player suffering a dip in form, but he's always made it known he likes batting at No 3.
"Despite a run of low scores recently, I just think he's got the technique and mental strength to go in at No 3.
"If you leave Bell out, you're basically saying that's the end of his career, and in my opinion you don't want to be saying that. He's too good a player just to be left out and then discarded.
"So give him a little bit more responsibility, make it crystal clear 'we're promoting you and showing faith in you. Bat at No 3 and allow Joe Root - England's best player currently - to go to No 4.'
"Bairstow comes in at No 5, purely because the selectors are always saying they're looking at county cricket, and Bairstow's been in sensational form.
"He's earned the right to be selected, then you just hope he can deal with the excess pace of Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson: we don't see 90 miles-per-hour bowlers in county cricket."
