Ian Bell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ian Bell

Bell in August 2015
Personal information
Full name	Ian Ronald Bell
Born	(1982-04-11) 11 April 1982 (age 43) Coventry, West Midlands, England
Nickname	Belly, The Sledgehammer of Eternal Justice, Boyband, The Shermanator, Thand
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	England (2004–2015)
Test debut (cap 625)	19 August 2004 v West Indies
Last Test	1 November 2015 v Pakistan
ODI debut (cap 184)	28 November 2004 v Zimbabwe
Last ODI	13 March 2015 v Afghanistan
ODI shirt no.	7
T20I debut (cap 17)	28 August 2006 v Pakistan
Last T20I	20 May 2014 v Sri Lanka
T20I shirt no.	7
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1999–2020	Warwickshire (squad no. 4)
1999	Warwickshire Cricket Board
2016/17	Perth Scorchers (squad no. 12)
2018	Dhaka Dynamites (squad no. 7)
2019	Islamabad United
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 118 161 312 318 Runs scored 7,727 5,416 20,440 11,130 Batting average 42.69 37.87 43.58 41.22 100s/50s 22/46 4/35 57/105 13/79 Top score 235 141 262* 158 Balls bowled 108 88 2,875 1,290 Wickets 1 6 47 33 Bowling average 76.00 14.66 34.36 34.48 5 wickets in innings 0 0 0 1 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 1/33 3/9 4/4 5/41 Catches/stumpings 100/– 54/– 238/– 109/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 10 September 2020

Ian Ronald Bell MBE (born 11 April 1982) is a former English cricket player. He played for the England cricket team in all types of international matches. He also played county cricket for Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

Ian Bell was a right-handed batsman who usually batted in the middle of the order. He was known for his elegant shots, especially his "cover drive." He also sometimes bowled medium-pace and was a very good fielder. He scored 22 centuries in Test cricket and four centuries in One Day International (ODI) matches.

In 2006, he received an award called the MBE. This was for his important role in England winning The Ashes series in 2005. Later that year, the International Cricket Council named him the "Emerging Player of the Year." He helped England win the Ashes again in 2009 and 2010-11. In 2020, Ian Bell announced he was retiring from all forms of cricket.

Early Life and Cricket Beginnings

Ian Bell grew up in Dunchurch, near Rugby. He started playing cricket at his local club when he was young. He went to Princethorpe College, where he played for the first team in Year 7.

He also played football for Coventry City's youth team, even though he supported Aston Villa. Bell also played cricket for Coventry and North Warwickshire Cricket Club. His brother, Keith, also played amateur cricket.

Starting His Cricket Career

Ian Bell first played for Warwickshire's second team in 1998. He then played for the England Under-19 cricket team in New Zealand. He scored well, and people compared him to former England captain Mike Atherton. Bell even captained the Under-19 team in some matches.

In September 1999, Bell played his first first-class cricket match for Warwickshire. He joined the main Warwickshire team in 2001. That year, he scored 836 runs and made three centuries. He became Warwickshire's youngest player to score a century at 19 years old. He also became the youngest player to receive a county cap.

Bell was chosen for the ECB National Academy in 2001. He later joined the full England Test squad in New Zealand as a cover player. In 2002, he helped Warwickshire win the Benson & Hedges Cup. He was the top scorer in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final.

In 2004, Bell had a great season for Warwickshire. He scored 1498 runs in the Championship, including six centuries. One of these was his highest score of 262 not out. This made him the county's youngest player to score a double-century. His strong performance led to him being called up to the England Test squad.

International Cricket Journey

Making His Test Debut

Ian Bell played his first international match in August 2004. It was a Test match against the West Indies at The Oval. He scored 70 runs in England's first innings. England won the match easily.

First One Day International Matches

Bell was chosen for England's tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa in 2004-05. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Zimbabwe. He scored 75 runs and was named man of the match. He played well in that series.

Success Against Bangladesh and the Ashes

In 2005, Bell started the season very well. He was called back to the England team for a Test series against Bangladesh. He scored 65 not out in the first Test and 162 not out in the second. He was the first Englishman since 1935 to score over 100 runs before lunch in a Test match.

He was then selected for the 2005 Ashes series against Australia. Bell struggled in the first two matches. However, in the third Test, he scored a half-century in both innings. Even though England won the Ashes, Bell later said he doubted himself during that series.

Playing in Pakistan and India

After the Ashes, Bell toured Pakistan in 2005-06. He scored a century and two half-centuries in the three-match series. He was England's top scorer with 313 runs. He also took his only Test wicket in this series.

He continued his good form in India in 2006. However, he struggled in the Test series there, scoring only 131 runs in six innings.

Strong Performances in 2006

Bell was recalled to the Test team for the series against Pakistan in England. He scored a century in each of the first three Tests. This made him the first Englishman since Graham Gooch to score centuries in three Test matches in a row. He finished the series with a very high average of 93.75. He also played well in the ODI series against Pakistan.

World Cup 2007 and India Series

Bell was part of England's squad for the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. England had a difficult tournament. Bell's performances were mixed, and he was even dropped for the final match.

In August 2007, Bell scored his first ODI century against India. He made 126 runs from 118 balls. He scored two more half-centuries in the series. England won the series, and Bell was named Man of the Series.

Challenges and Comebacks

Bell faced some tough times in his career. He struggled for form in Sri Lanka in 2007-08 and in New Zealand in 2008. In the first Test against New Zealand, he was hit on the wrist while fielding. Luckily, it was only bruising. He later scored an unbeaten 54 in that match.

In 2008, Bell scored 199 runs against South Africa, just missing a double century. He was the first Englishman to be dismissed on 199. He then struggled in India and the West Indies and was dropped from the team.

The 2009 Ashes Series

Bell worked hard after being dropped and scored many runs for his county team. He was called back to the England squad for the 2009 Ashes series against Australia. He replaced an injured Kevin Pietersen.

He scored 53 in his first match back. Although he struggled in some innings, he scored 72 in the final Test. England won the series 2–1, taking back the Ashes.

Consistent Success (2009-2011)

This graph shows Ian Bell's Test innings scores and how his batting average changed over time.

After a difficult start to the series in South Africa in 2009-10, Bell scored 141 runs in the second Test. This helped him regain his confidence. He continued to perform well, especially when batting lower in the order.

On the tour of Bangladesh, Bell scored a quick 84 in the first Test. In the second Test, he scored his 10th Test century, making 138 runs. His average against Bangladesh was very high during this time.

In 2010, Bell helped Warwickshire win the Clydesdale Bank 40 final. He then played a key role in England's Ashes victory in Australia. He scored his first Ashes century in the final Test in Sydney. England won the series 3–1, their first Ashes win in Australia since 1986-87.

World Cup 2011 and India Series

Bell played in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. In a match against India, he scored 69 runs in a game that ended in a tie.

In the summer of 2011, Bell was a vital part of the England team that beat India 4–0 in a Test series. This made England the number one Test team in the world. During this series, Bell scored his highest Test score of 235 runs. He was involved in a moment where India's captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, showed great sportsmanship by withdrawing an appeal for a run-out.

Later Career Highlights

In 2012, England had a tough series against Pakistan in the UAE, where Bell struggled. However, he regained his form in England, scoring well against the West Indies. He also scored his second ODI century against the West Indies.

In 2012-13, Bell played in India. He scored an unbeaten century in the fourth Test in Nagpur, which helped England draw the match and win the series 2–1.

The 2013 Ashes Series

Ian Bell scoring a century during the 2013 Lord's Test.

Bell had an amazing 2013 Ashes series at home. In the first Test, he scored 109 runs in the second innings, helping England win by a small margin. In the second Test at Lord's, he scored another century, making 109 runs. This was his third Ashes century in a row. He was named the man of the series for his excellent batting.

Final Years in International Cricket

The 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia was difficult for England, who lost 5–0. Bell scored two half-centuries but couldn't reach a hundred. He continued to play ODIs, showing good form in some matches.

In 2014, Bell played against Sri Lanka and India. He scored a century against India at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, making 167 runs. This helped England win the match and level the series. England went on to win the series 3–1.

In 2015, Bell played in a Tri-Series against Australia and India. He scored 141 against Australia, but England lost the match. He also played in the 2015 Ashes series. He scored two half-centuries in the third Test, helping England win the match and the series.

After the 2015 Ashes, Ian Bell announced his retirement from ODI cricket to focus on Test matches. He played his last Test series against Pakistan in late 2015.

Retirement

On September 6, 2020, Ian Bell officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. His final game for Warwickshire was a T20 match against Glamorgan.

Coaching Career

Since retiring as a player, Ian Bell has become a cricket coach. He has worked with teams like Derbyshire, New Zealand, and the England Under-19s. He has also coached in various T20 leagues around the world.

In August 2024, he was appointed as Sri Lanka's batting coach for their Test series against England.

Personal Life

Ian Bell married his wife Chantal in 2011. He is a big football fan and supports Aston Villa. He often watches their matches at Villa Park.

Images for kids

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  An innings-by-innings breakdown of Bell's Test match batting career, current as at 22 January 2012, showing runs scored (blue and orange bars) and his career batting average (red line).

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  An innings-by-innings breakdown of Bell's ODI batting career, current as at 23 January 2012, showing runs scored (blue and orange bars) and his career batting average (red line).

See also

In Spanish: Ian Bell para niños