ASHES 2010-11: Ian Bell century puts England in 支配（する）／統制する but Kevin Pietersen fails again

By Paul Newman for the Daily Mail

報告（する）／憶測ing from Tasmania

Updated: 10:47 BST, 18 November 2010

トン-derful: Ian Bell became England's third 小旅行する centurion

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Ian Bell 供給するd the best batting of England’s Ashes 小旅行する so far after Kevin Pietersen had fallen in worryingly familiar fashion here this morning.

Bell, who has looked in the form of his life in Australia, oozed class as he moved to 121 out of England’s 335 for five, a lead of 105 over Australia A after two days of this four-day match at the Bellerive Oval.

Yet if Bell, desperate to 証明する to Australia just how good he is in his fourth Ashes series, is more than ready for the first 実験（する） in Brisbane next week then Pietersen has once again become a 関心.

Pietersen said that he was ‘on 解雇する／砲火／射撃’ after his half-century in England’s 開始 小旅行する match against Western Australia and looked 始める，決める to put his problems behind him in the biggest 一連の them all.

But his 明らかな fallibility against left-arm spin resurfaced as he 行方不明になるd a straight ball from the innocuous Steve O’Keefe and saw it clip the 最高の，を越す of his off-stump when he was on only five.

Pietersen has never been one to 栄える in warm-up games but he would have liked to have spent more time in the middle here with just a week to go bef 鉱石 the Gabba.

At that 行う／開催する／段階 of a day interrupted five times by にわか雨s England were in trouble at 137 for five, still 93 behind Australia A, after losing three wickets for just 13 runs in 37 balls.

Yet Bell, who became the third England player to 得点する／非難する／２０ a century on this 小旅行する after Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook, joined 軍隊s with Paul Collingwood to transform a match that, until then, had been 支配するd by ball in 冷淡な, bowler friendly 条件s.

While Collingwood, who finished the day unbeaten on 74, 供給するd the solidity Bell was the epitome of flair, racing to his 50 off 55 balls and his hundred off 113 balls with 13 fours and a six. He is the only batsman in this match so far to truly 征服する／打ち勝つ a green, lively pitch.

Not only did Bell put England in a position to 押し進める for their second victory in three warm-up matches ahead of the big day in Brisbane he also やめる かもしれない 攻撃する，衝突する Steve Smith out of 論争 for Australian first 実験（する） 選択.

Smith had looked an 効果的な batsman here on Wednesday, 増加するing his hopes of 収入 a middle order 寝台／地位 for the Ashes, but it is as a 脚-spinner that Australia would really like him to 進歩.

Now, held 支援する until the 56^th over by Au stralia A captain Cameron White, Smith was unable to settle as Bell got after him from the off, hitting him for three 連続した fours in his first over and continuing to attack him throughout.

Contrasting fortunes: Pietersen took a backwards step as Bell (権利) oozed class 負かす／撃墜する Under

Smith, who bowled a succession of 十分な 投げ上げる／ボディチェックするs and other loose 配達／演説／出産s, was certainly 影を投げかけるd by O’Keefe, who also 誘惑するd Alastair Cook into 穴を開けるing out at 中央の-off 試みる／企てるing to 攻撃する，衝突する over the 最高の，を越す.

At least Cook, who made a century against South Australia in Adelaide, spent some more 価値のある time in the middle in reaching a carefully 収集するd 60, おもに in company with Jonathan Trott.

Cutting loose: Ian Bell tamed the green pitch

Trott is the only member of the England 最高の，を越す six who has yet to make a half century on 小旅行する and he will have been furious to 落ちる to a misjudged pull for the second 連続する match nine runs away from what would have been a 安心させるing 目印.

While Trott may have to re-査定する／（税金などを）課す his approach to the short ball in this series then so too surely will Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

End of KP: Pietersen is bowled by Steve O'Keefe for just five

The home 船長／主将, who has started to look fallible against the short ball in the last 18 months, was also out hooking yesterday, in his 事例／患者 落ちるing to his Australia team-mate Shane Watson playing for Tasmania against New South むちの跡s.

That news, together with some ますます ragged bowling from Australia’s second string, meant that England will again be 井戸／弁護士席 pleased with their 成果／努力s today. Apart, that is, from a small cloud hovering over Pietersen.

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