Belly got backbone

Ashley Giles stretched luxuriously in a large leather chair. It had "Gilo: I'm In Charge" embossed upon the back. He surveyed the empty Warwickshire boardroom.

"You're fired!" Gilo enjoyed practising his Sir Alan impression. He did it a few more times.

"Life's been pretty good to old Gilo," he said out loud. "You are a tiger. You are a spin tiger. You are a big beast of the boardroom jungle. Now let's negotiate."

Gilo pressed the intercom.

"Send him in, please, Maureen," he said.

A few seconds later, Ian Bell stood anxiously in front of Gilo. Bell shifted his weight nervously from leg to leg.

"I'm here about me new contract, Gilo," said Bell.

"No agent, Belly?"

"Don't need one, Gilo," said Belly. "Not the new, more positive, Ian Bell that is putting his hand up and taking responsibility and generally being a much more mature cricketer."

"Okay, Belly," said Gilo. "Whatever you say."

"Now I want a new contract," said Belly. "More money and that. And a car, a nice one, with a CD player and an MP3 capability and some sort of GPS. And a glovebox. And I want image rights, in case I want to do a range of golf jumpers or belts, or become an A-list Hollywood movie star. And I want as much hair mousse as I can use."

"L'Oreal?"

"Yeah," said Belly. "I'm worth it. And I want a new head guard and full body armour, for when I have to do my boxing conditioning with Reg, 'cos he keeps beating seven bells out of me and it hurts."

"Fair enough," said Gilo. "But you can't have a glovebox in the car."

"You drive a hard bargain, Gilo," said Belly.

"I'm a multi-dimensional negotiator," said Gilo. "I'm bringing a lot to the party. Now let's go and celebrate."

"Nandos?" said Belly.

"Course," said Gilo. "But don't go getting us into trouble with unauthorised return visits to the soda fountain this time."

"That was a different Ian Bell in them days," said Belly. "These days, I'd stick my hand up and ask for a waiter."