Sunday 7 June 2015 16:11, UK
Ian Bell is confident he can rediscover his scoring form on the county circuit after a big T20 innings for Warwickshire.
Limited-overs cricket should provide a good arena in which Bell can recapture his form ahead of a long Ashes campaign this summer.
The 33-year-old made a good start by hitting 90 from 65 balls in the Birmingham Bears’ win over Durham on Saturday.
The knock came after a dip in form for England – having clocked a century against West Indies in the first Test in Antigua, Bell followed it up with single-figure scores, including a pair in Barbados, and then scored just 43 over four innings against New Zealand in the recent series.
He was left out of the one-day international squad to face New Zealand this month, which makes Saturday's display - including two sixes off Ben Stokes – all the more useful to build upon before Australia turn up at Cardiff in July.
"It's a good start (scoring 90)," Bell said. "It's been a frustrating last sort of month, having started with a big hundred in the West Indies.
"And then for some reason, I haven't quite experienced that in my 11 years with England, it's changed quite quickly.
"I've just got to keep working hard now. It's a good reminder that you've got to keep working hard all the time. I'm desperate now, away from England, to work hard to make sure I can help England have a good summer."
Bell is also keen to start working under Trevor Bayliss, with the new England coach set for a watching brief during the ODI and T20 games against the Black Caps.
Bayliss, England's first Australian coach, has the unenviable task of formally beginning his tenure just before the start of the Ashes, but Bell added: "It's an exciting opportunity isn't it?
"I'm looking forward to it. What people say about him is just full of compliments.
"So I expect some really good things from him. I'm looking forward to getting to know him and working with him."
Watch England v New Zealand in the first ODI live on Sky Sports 2 from 1.30pm on Tuesday.
