Cricket: Bell tolls sweetly for batsman

By Richard Boock

DUNEDIN - Matthew Bell's international cricket career took a turn for the better yesterday when he was rushed into the New Zealand team for the first one-dayer against South Africa.

The 21-year-old Wellington batsman was disappointing in the test series against India earlier this season, and was unable to claim his place for the following one-day series.

However, when Roger Twose found himself struggling with a back strain on Saturday afternoon, the selectors decided Bell - who made 219 against Northern Districts last week - should be recalled as a late-order batsman.

Convener Ross Dykes said the theory was that Twose needed to replaced by another batsman who could rotate the strike and bat around the many stroke-players in the side.

"We thought that was a job Adam Parore could cope with, so the idea was to promote Adam to No 4 and use Matthew further down the order," Dykes said.
Bell responded well to the challenge, scoring an important 37 after coming in at number six.

The selectors could have recalled opening batsman Bryan Young, but Dykes said there was no desire to re-arrange the top-order and possibly create further problems throughout the lineup.

"We're quite comfortable with our top-order batting. We think Matt Horne and Nathan Astle are ideal openers in the shorter game, and we're just as happy with Craig McMillan and Stephen Fleming [when he's fit] following them."

Dykes said Bell received the nod because he was inform, was a strong fieldsman and, having already played for New Zealand this summer, could fit back into the team "culture" with the minimum of bother.