Boyish Bell ready to come of age at last

Bell, still only 25, has reached a pivotol moment in his career. Everyone within the England set-up knows he is a batsman of rare ability but too often his almost meek demeanour and, yes Shane, his boyish looks have contributed to not being taken completely seriously by the best opponents.

Maturing: Ian Bell in one-day action

A failure to convert many of his half-centuries into three figures, in both Test and one-day matches, has hardly helped. That, however, is about to change if Bell has anything to do with it.

Bell hopes a fluent 73 under trying circumstances in Friday's one-day international victory over New Zealand at Eden Park will be the launchpad for the most fulfilling spell of a career that has not quite hit the heights it should have.

"If you look at the best players there's a maturity, something about them, the way they practise and the way they are as people," said Bell before England, trailing 2-1 in the five-match series, left for Napier for the fourth game which starts late tomorrow night.

"That's something I'm trying to move towards. When I'm in the nets, when I practise and when I'm in the field, I want to control everything myself, not rely on coaches or anyone else."

Bell's first half-century in 12 one-dayers, which took him beyond 2,000 one-day runs and helped lift England back into this series, showed what he can do.

He talked about Ricky Ponting being his role model as the best batsman in the world. The trick is for Bell to do what Ponting does more often — once past 50, go on to match-winning hundreds.

England batting coach Andy Flower is driving Bell's quest. Peter Moores' highlyqualified sidekick has been working hard on Bell's temperament as much as his technique. He does not want the Warwickshire man to settle for anything other than the very best.

He can go on to be one of the best batsmen in the world and I have no doubt he will do it,' said Flower.

He can do anything with a bat in his hand and I think he's only just starting to realise that. He's got to realise his responsibility as one of the best batsmen in the England side.

Ian has six Test hundreds and 17 Test fifties. That conversion rate is not good enough. If he wants to be one of the best, if he wants England to be the best, he's got to be tough on himself and deliver better results.'

Sometimes Bell's attempts at positive body language, to look 'mature', have not worked. For instance, he has taken to rolling up his sleeves at the crease, a la Kevin Pietersen, but it has not looked right. Bell said: 'I think what Andy was talking about is how I see myself rather than how other people see me. Andy and Peter are keen for me to see myself as a more experienced player and the onus is on me to get us off to good starts and go on to make big scores at three.'

Bell needs to say goodbye to the 'Sherminator' image for good and make sure he dominates for the rest of this tour in a country where he was first called up by England as cover six years ago. Maturity has been a long time coming. Now must come the golden years.