Ashes 2015: Ian Bell sees batting at three for England as a chance for 'big runs'

England batsman Ian Bell sees the chance to bat at three in the third Investec Ashes Test against Australia this week as "an opportunity to score big runs".

And the experienced 33-year-old is adamant he is still capable of delivering the goods at the highest level.

Bell made his Test debut in 2004 and has been capped 112 times, scoring 22 centuries and averaging 43.18.

However, since scoring a hundred in the first Test against West Indies in April, Bell’s Test scores have been 11, 1, 0, 0, 1, 29, 12, 1, 1, 60, 1 and 11.

He has nonetheless been promoted to No 3 in a slightly rejigged England batting line-up for the crucial Edgbaston encounter, which starts on Wednesday, with the series tied at 1-1.

Bell said: "Obviously it’s a slight difference, moving up, but most things don’t change. You see the ball come down and try to do the best you can.

"It is an opportunity to go out there and do something a little bit different. We’ve changed a little bit and hopefully it is an opportunity to go out there and score some big runs.

"It has been a tricky little six weeks for me. The runs have not been anywhere near as much as I would like or expect from myself, but the game does change very quickly.

"Hopefully this week will be the start of me getting back into the sort of form that I would expect of myself, and have managed over the last 11 years."

It has been suggested in some quarters that Bell could yet be dropped if he fails to deliver at Edgbaston but the Warwickshire man is optimistic that he can return to his best at his home ground.

"I am realistic and I know I have not performed how I would expect an England player to perform for these last six weeks," he said. "It is an important Test match, no doubt.

"I still believe that, when I am playing at my best, I am a world class player, and I am desperate for the runs that come with being a top order player for England.

"I’ve known, over a long time with England, that my job is to score runs. I know I have not done that to my capability over the last six or seven Test matches. Hopefully, this will be the start of me kicking on and going forward again."

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