Yet again Ian Bell managed, with considerable elan, to turn promise into abject disappointment. His cameos have now become a cliche, his sensitive introspection a hindrance, and, consequently, his immediate future at this level a serious doubt, writes Steve James in the Daily Telegraph.
... there was nothing ugly about Bell. He caressed and cavorted. It all seemed so easy. But it is indicative of the prevailing mood that, after a delightful three through mid-on, one press box cynic said: "Typical Bell this – he'll still get out for 30."
New captain, new coach, same old infuriating Bell, writes Vic Marks in the Guardian.
Maybe Bell felt obliged to rein himself in at the fall of a second wicket. Maybe he simply decided to give centre stage to ÂPietersen. Or maybe the fact that he scored nine runs from the next 49 balls he faced was a coincidence. Whatever the reason Bell sacrificed the initiative and was out to a very disappointing, indeterminate prod.
Kevin Pietersen fell three runs short of what would have been his 16th Test century. In the Daily Mail Martin Samuel writes that the innings may be remembered for the dichotomy that is Pietersen, working flat out to be reinvented as the ultimate team player, but ultimately unable to contain the wild side that makes him such a unique talent.
He wants to be the guy that took his lumps and came back the better man for it, happy to serve as one of a number, but if he cannot keep it up for one day what chance has he got of maintaining it through the rest of his professional life? He surely wanted this innings to be the riposte, aimed squarely at those who claim ego cost him the captaincy, instead he handed them a stick with which to beat him once more.
Also read Tony Cozier's piece on the Sabina pitch on cricinfo.com.
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