England batsman Ian Bell, who is part of the 13-man ODI squad for five-match series against Australia, has said that the vibe in the team is great, as the confidence from the Twenty20 World Cup triumph has shifted into the rest of the squad.“Playing Australia now isn't just turning up and fearing them, whereas maybe in the past it was. Now it's about matching them and moving on and it was great to watch that Twenty20 final,” News of The World quoted Bell, as saying.
“English cricket has moved on and is starting to believe that we can play as well if not better as the other countries around the world. The way the T20 team played was absolutely fantastic with the bowling and the power hitting. English cricket is turning the corner,” he added.
Bell, who will be making a ODI comeback after 20 months, further said that he is keeping one eye on the Ashes series Down Under.
“The Ashes could be a defining part of my career. My record against Australia isn't as good as it is against South Africa. That's something I want to change. If I am there then I'll do everything I can to change that and have a big series,” Bell said.
“I know it will be my fourth Ashes series and it will be time for me to step up - because I would have had 60 Test matches by then,” he added.
Bell’s return has been boosted by his performance in the T20, Pro40 and Friends Provident, where last season he had strike rates of 116, 96 and 76 respectively.
England face Australia in the series opener in Hampshire on June 22.
Squad: Andrew Strauss (captain), Craig Kieswettter (wicketkeeper), Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Luke Wright, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Ryan Sidebottom, James Anderson and Michael Yardy.
