Bell joins elite trio with third successive ton

Saturday, 20 July 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Ian Bell joined an elite trio on Thursday with his third Ashes century in successive tests after England had lost three cheap wickets on the opening day of the second test against Australia at Lord’s. Bell, who came to the crease with England floundering at 28 for three on a perfect batting pitch at the height of a British heatwave, reached his 19th test hundred with 14 boundaries in exactly five hours. He was finally out for 109 and joins Jack Hobbs (twice), Wally Hammond and Chris Broad at the only England players to score centuries in three consecutive Ashes tests. Bell’s dismissal was the first of three wickets in the space of 31 minutes for Australian leg-spinner Steve Smith who reduced England from 271 for four to 289 for seven at the close of a sun-drenched day. After his resolute second innings century in the first test victory at Trent Bridge, Bell was in delightful touch from the start of his innings. He drove sweetly, cut deftly and after tea took three boundaries off a James Pattinson over, including two exquisite drives off the back foot through the covers. He was finally out when Michael Clarke turned to Smith’s occasional leg-spin and was rewarded when Bell edged the final ball of his first over to the Australian captain at slip.

Smith followed up by tumbling to his left to take a return catch of Jonny Bairstow (67) who had batted confidently on the ground where he scored an impressive 95 against South Africa last year and helped Bell add 144 for the fifth wicket. “Credit has to go to Australia, Harris coming back into the team bowled really well,” Bell told Sky television. “You know Australia are just going to keep coming at you and you’ve never got enough. Today was another great day of test cricket. “We’ll see as the game goes on what a good first innings score is. If the dry conditions stay we know we have quality bowlers who can bowl reverse swing and then later on spin will come into it.”