Top score for Bell

Ian Bell
12 April 2012

Ian Bell completed his maiden Test double-hundred in England's lunchtime 591 for six against India at The Oval today.

Unbeaten on 181 overnight, he saw two wickets fall at the other end early on the third morning of this fourth npower Test - and needed 45 minutes to go past his previous-best 199.

Bell (235) began by playing perhaps the worst shot of his wonderful innings to the second ball of the day - a waft outside off-stump at Shantha Sreesanth (three for 123) which did not make contact - but quickly resumed normal service with a new collection of expertly-timed boundaries.

He reached his 200 with his 20th four, deflected down to fine-leg of Sreesanth from the 331st ball he faced. By then England had lost first James Anderson, squeezing an edge at a full-length ball to second slip off Sreesanth - who had already voiced his displeasure at the nightwatchman's presence and stood arms folded in defiance as his victim made his way off past him.

Eoin Morgan arrived at the crease shortly before it was announced he will captain England for the first time in next week's one-off one-day international against Ireland in his native Dublin.

He managed only one run by way of celebration, though, before edging a drive behind to give Sreesanth his third wicket - and second in successive overs.

Bell ploughed on, ensuring the run rate England needed after losing two sessions on day one of this match to rain, until he missed an attempted sweep at off-spinner Suresh Raina to go lbw.

Among the statistics he had piled up in a near eight-and-a-half hour stay, he surpassed team-mate Alastair Cook as the world's most prolific Test run-scorer of the calendar year so far.

In the likelihood that he will not bat again here, and with no more England Tests scheduled before Christmas, Bell seems set to finish 2011 with 950 runs at a remarkable 118.75. In his absence, Ravi Bopara (44no) and Matt Prior kept England moving before the rain arrived during the afternoon.

When it eventually stopped, an inspection of a drenched surface took place in glorious sunshine, and with the full square still under cover, and it was announced there would be a second one carried out during the scheduled tea break at 4.10pm.

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