Settled Bell hungry for runs

Ian Bell, the England and Warwickshire batsman, has spoken of his hunger to rectify his disappointing series against Australia last year and insists he has nothing to prove.

Bell enjoyed a superb second half of the summer with England, with three hundreds in successive Tests against Pakistan and 375 runs in four Tests after missing the Sri Lanka series. This followed a consistent run of scores in the winter against India and Pakistan; it has been a marked contrast to the nervous figure who appeared against Australia last summer.

"I've got 18 Test matches under my belt now compared to three last time I faced Australia. I've played a winter on the sub-continent," said Bell. "I've got some experience of playing against the top players in the world and can go to Australia with that in the bank and I've also got three hundreds in the last four Tests.

"Have I anything to prove in Australia? I don't feel as if I have to prove anything to myself. I would like to score runs against Australia. But I don't think I need to go and prove too much to anyone. They would have seen I've scored three hundreds in the last four Tests. They will know that. A lot of Australians play county cricket as well so I don't think I have to prove too much to anyone.

"But it would be nice to go out there and score some runs. I was chuffed to bits to be a part of the Ashes side but would like to do more with the bat this time," he said. "To be part of England retaining the Ashes would be pretty special, especially in their own back yard. That would be great.

"I feel I belong more in the Test side now and am mentally stronger. That has come with a bit of experience. I've had some ups and downs. I've been left out a little bit and then got back in."

In what was generally a disappointing one-day summer for England, Bell's batting was a lone highlight and, next month, he travels to India for the Champions Trophy.

"A lot of cricket is about momentum and, if we can take what we've done in the Test matches and the one-dayers at the end of the summer, it will stand us in good stead for the ICC.

"If we can win the games well in the ICC, it will also give us some good momentum for going into the World Cup. That's important and every game for the one-day side, which is sort of emerging with young players, is important."