Bell digs in to revive personal and team fortunes

Warwickshire 332 and 162 for 4 (Bell 68*, Westwood 62) lead Surrey 437 (Sangakkara 105, Sibley 56) by 57 runs
Scorecard

Ian Bell's highest first-class score for more than a year has kept Warwickshire's heads above water in their Championship match against Surrey.

When Bell came to the wicket in Warwickshire's second innings, they were already two down and still 60 behind. For a side bowled out for 91 by the same opponents a couple of weeks ago - and one bowled out for 115 by Yorkshire last week - the signs were ominous.

But Bell, playing beautifully straight, negated an admirably disciplined attack and a pitch offering just a little variable bounce to ensure his side go into the final day with hopes of a morale-boosting draw very much alive.

Such is Bell's innate class that, in a professional career stretching the best part of two decades, he has rarely looked out of form. But, over the last couple of years, the runs have not flowed as they have previously and not since April 13, 2016 - the first Championship match of last season - has he made a century or reached a score as high as this.

But, as he guided anything short to the third man boundary or anything over-pitched through the covers, it was hard to see any diminution of his powers. That cover drive belongs in the Louvre.

The difference here, compared to recent Bell innings, was the discipline. Whereas he has, of late, looked a little over eager to search for the scoring opportunity, here he was prepared to wait for it. So, many balls were left outside off stump and, offered the chance to pull for a boundary, he often settled for rolling his wrists over the ball and settling for the single.

There may be other differences. There were times in 2016 when Bell had so much on his plate - issues with discontented colleagues, potential recruitment and the disappointment as the decline of his own Test career - that he perhaps went into games with a mind clouded and burdened.

This season, with a head coach and director of cricket keen to alleviate some of those responsibilities, he may have more time to focus on his own game. It is too early to suggest he has turned a corner - it is one innings, after all - but the manner with which he dealt with low bounce and high suggested the technique and the temperament remain a substantial asset to his club.

He was given steadfast support by Ian Westwood. While William Porterfield edged a good one that left him and Jonathan Trott fell for his third duck in six Championship innings this season courtesy of one that reared and took the shoulder of his bat, Westwood refused to be drawn at deliveries outside off stump and added a half-century to his first innings century. While Tom Curran eventually snared him with one he might have left, it seems safe to assume he has already done enough to convince Warwickshire to give him a new contract at the end of this season.

Warwickshire are in the market for new players, though. They are not nearly as cash-strapped as some might suppose - there is debt, yes, but it is to a benevolent partner and they are on the brink of the best run of major matches in their history - and, if the right players come along, they will pursue them vigorously.

This was, as Bell said afterwards, their "best performance of our season without a shadow of doubt." With Surrey resuming with the opportunity to build a match-defining lead, Warwickshire's bowlers knew they had to strike early and often.

Kumar Sangakkara went early - though not before he had reached his century - poking at a good one that left him, and with Ben Foakes guiding a pull shot to long-leg, Dominic Sibley misreading a lovely slower-ball and Sam Curran (who may find himself reported by the umpires for dissent following his dismissal) missing a straight one, Surrey lost their last seven wickets for a modest 131 runs. It left Warwickshire facing a deficit of 105 and the sense that things could have been much worse.

Surrey bowled impressively in Warwickshire's second innings. Despite losing Mark Footitt to a leg injury - he came back onto the field but is thought unlikely to bowl on the final day - the threat offered by Jade Dernbach and the Currans was unrelenting. Dernbach bowled one especially impressive spell, gaining movement in the air and off the pitch and only being negated by Bell's excellence.

The wicket of Ateeq Javid - nervously playing-on - in the dying moments ensured Surrey go into the final day in a strong position, but they will be just a little nervous of the prospect of chasing on a fourth-day pitch starting to go up and down. Bell still has a substantial amount of work ahead of him, but this was a heartening day for him and his team.