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Bell injury concern for England | Bell injury concern for England |
(30 minutes later) | |
England were handed a scare two days before the first Ashes Test when batsman Ian Bell was taken to hospital after being hit on his left wrist. | |
The 24-year-old was struck during practice at Brisbane's Gabba, venue for Thursday's opener against Australia, by a delivery from seamer James Anderson. | The 24-year-old was struck during practice at Brisbane's Gabba, venue for Thursday's opener against Australia, by a delivery from seamer James Anderson. |
An X-ray revealed heavy bruising and Bell will receive further treatment and be reassessed at training on Wednesday. | |
If he is ruled out, Middlesex's Ed Joyce will make his Test debut. | |
The Irish-born 28-year-old was called up when Marcus Trescothick returned home after a recurrence of his stress-related illness. | |
Opener Andrew Strauss has faith in his county colleague Joyce to slot in but believes Bell should be okay. | |
"Ed is probably one of the coolest, most laid-back people I know," he said. "He's proved for Middlesex a lot of times that under pressure is when he's at his best. | |
"So if he does have to come in he will do very well but we're still very hopeful that Belly will be fit." | "So if he does have to come in he will do very well but we're still very hopeful that Belly will be fit." |
The loss of Bell would be a blow to England and force another batting rethink. | |
It would be stupid for us not to use his knowledge - he was an instrumental factor in us winning the Ashes the last time around Strauss on Michael Vaughan | |
After Trescothick's withdrawal, he is due to be promoted to three in the first Test, the position from which he made 132 in the last warm-up match against South Australia. | |
After struggling against the Aussies in 2005, the Warwickshire youngster has re-established himself in the middle order. | |
He made three centuries in as many Tests against Pakistan this summer to take his total of runs to 1,287 in 18 Tests at an impressive average of 47.66. | |
Bell's scare came on the day Michael Vaughan - the man who led England to a 2-1 triumph over the Aussies last year - linked up with the squad as he continues his rehabilitation following long-term knee problems. | Bell's scare came on the day Michael Vaughan - the man who led England to a 2-1 triumph over the Aussies last year - linked up with the squad as he continues his rehabilitation following long-term knee problems. |
The batsman laughed off talk of him playing in this five-match Test series but Strauss insists he has a valuable off-field role to play. | The batsman laughed off talk of him playing in this five-match Test series but Strauss insists he has a valuable off-field role to play. |
"It would be stupid for us not to use his knowledge," the left-hander added. "He was an instrumental factor in us winning the Ashes the last time around. | "It would be stupid for us not to use his knowledge," the left-hander added. "He was an instrumental factor in us winning the Ashes the last time around. |
"He's got some pretty forthright views as to how best play against Australia, and we'll be chatting to him in the next day or two." | "He's got some pretty forthright views as to how best play against Australia, and we'll be chatting to him in the next day or two." |