The Ian Bell conundrum

England must look beyond mere statistics to take a decision on the struggling Ian Bell ahead of the second Test in Antigua, writes Michael Atherton in the Times.

The key to Bell's immediate future is his mental state and only the captain and coach can know that. Is he shot? Does he need a break from the pressure? If so, he must make way. As Strauss suggested in Sri Lanka, there is much to be gained from time away and it is rare for any batsman not to be dropped at some stage. Demotion need not be permanent.

Mike Selvey, writing in the Guardian, feels the nature of Bell's dismissal in England's abject surrender in the second innings could cost him a place in the team for a long time.

Any batsman can get out to a daft shot played at an inappropriate time. It is what bowlers work at. But this was just crass, an encapsulation of all that Bell has conveyed for some time. What, precisely, was his thought process? Does his mind compute that having got into that area, around 30 or so runs, that suggests his vulnerability, he must avoid the criticism that would follow his dismissal and so places further pressure on himself to survive? Or does he believe that, having played with panache to that point, he has done the job and can relax? The latter seems more likely.

In the Independent, Stephen Brenkley says Owais Shah, who has been waiting in the sidelines for quite some time, merits a place in the England team for the second Test. Any decision to leave him out, he writes, would not only be unjustified for a player who is deserving of far more than the two Tests he's played, but could also mean his chances of future selection will remain grim.

In the Nation, Tony Cozier writes that there can be as many 51 reasons for England's defeat, one for each run scored in the second innings.