Match is hanging in balance: Bell

Image
Press Trust of India Manchester
Last Updated : Aug 09 2014 | 12:35 AM IST
England have extended their lead to 85 runs against India but Ian Bell says the fourth Test match was still hanging in balance.
Bell scored 58 runs in England's unfinished first innings as the hosts reached 237 for six at the end of day two.
"It certainly is poised very nicely. Hopefully tomorrow we can get past the 100-run lead maybe get 150 runs ahead if we can. That will put us in a nice position," Bell said.
"So far this has been a nice Test match, probably the best cricket wicket we have had all season. It has good pace, good for batsmen and bowlers alike," said Bell.
The batsman was full of praise for Indian paceman Varun Aaron who has been an addition to the Indian eleven playing his first Test in the series so far.
"He bowled well obviously to pick those wickets. He has a bit of pace and he has used it on this pitch. He is really complimenting Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the moment and the Indian attack looks well balanced in this match with the two spinners in there as well," he said.
"We have two good batsmen at the crease. But it is going to depend a lot on the conditions tomorrow. They have made a big difference in the game so far as we have seen. Someone like Buttler, if he bats for long, he can bat at some rate so hopefully the sun will be shining tomorrow," he added.
The rain that came nine overs after lunch didn't stop until the scheduled tea-time and as such there were too many wet patches to dry off. The boundary areas were especially soggy and that made the task tougher and thus play couldn't get started again.
Bell said waiting for conditions to get better was not that he and his teammates enjoyed.
"Yes it was a little frustrating for everyone. We would rather be out there than just inside. But the grounds men worked really hard but they gave everything and unfortunately we couldn't get on the ground again. It is a shame really, for everyone, the players and the fans," Bell signed off.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Aug 09 2014 | 12:35 AM IST

Next Story