Bell shows signs of things to come

Ian Bell, Warwickshire's talented England Under-19 batsman, gave a hint of his rich potential with a maiden first-class century at Edgbaston.

England rate Bell highly after his performances with their Under-19 team over the last three years and for the A-team in the West Indies last winter but Warwickshire have kept him waiting.

His only previous Championship innings was against Sussex in September 1999 when he made a third-ball duck but he looked entirely at home today.

He appeared to have a good range of strokes and plenty of time to select them as he struck six fours and a clipped leg-side six in a patient 135-ball fifty.

The disappointment was that he fell soon after when he drove a return catch to off-spinner Martyn Ball but he was given a warm reception by the small crowd who can expect to see much more of him in the future.

Bell's innings initially overshadowed his captain Michael Powell, with whom he added 119 for the first wicket, but Powell than took control as he moved to 97 not out by the close.

Powell drove impressively against an attack that was weakened by a back injury to Jon Lewis which restricted the England A seamer to just five overs and he struck 14 fours and two sixes.

Earlier Gloucestershire had batted on to make 360, their highest Championship total since August 1999, but it needed late acceleration from Ball and Tim Hancock in an entertaining eighth-wicket stand of 80 to get them there.

Hancock's fifty was his first in the Championship in 21 months and Ball, who reached his half-century from only 44 balls, was just three short of his career-best score of 71 when he holed out to mid-wicket.