Bell rues 'bad habit' of repeated failures of England top-order batsmen to 'cash in'

England batsman Ian Bell has said that the repeated failure of England's top order to cash in on starts has become a match-losing habit'.

Each of England's top seven got into double-figures on the opening day of the fourth Ashes Test, but only Kevin Pietersen reached 50 as the occasionally painfully slow tourists teetered at 6-226 at stumps on day one.

According to News.com.au, the vice-captain expressed his frustration at England's position, and credited Australia's attritional partnership bowling for putting the brakes on England's run rate, although he added that England's failure to convert was crippling to its winning hopes.

Stating that the continual defeats have become a habit for their team, Bell further said that they need to correct the 'habit' and get back to scoring big runs, adding that it should be a player's intent to always score runs, instead of just surviving in the game.

Bell hailed Australia's bowling unit as 'outstanding' and said that the bowlers did not let England to put even a little pressure on them as they kept taking away the wickets, although he insisted that it was not England's plan to crawl most of the day.