Bell in doubt for Gabba

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ENGLAND batsman Ian Bell is in doubt for the Thursday's first Ashes Test against Australia after suffering a wrist injury during a net session today.

The right hander was struck in the left wrist by a ball from team mate James Anderson and underwent ice treatment afterwards.

Bell, who is down to bat in the vital No.3 position, was treated by England staff at training and will have an x-ray later today to check the severity of the injury.

England can ill-afford another departure from its top order, as captain Michael Vaughan is certain to miss most of the series as he recovers from knee surgery, while Marcus Trescothick has already flown home with depression.

If Bell is ruled out, he will be replaced by debutant Ed Joyce, who has only been with the squad for a week after he was flown in as cover for Trescothick.

Bell has scored 1287 runs in 18 Test appearances. After a poor 2005 Ashes, he emerged as a key player this series with three centuries in successive Tests against Pakistan this year.

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England's batsmen can't seem to cop a trick. I wouldn't be suprised if Bell still fronted for England on Thursday though.

Does anyone know anything about Ed Joyce? I hadn't even heard of him until he was named as Trescothick's replacement last week...

[heater31]

Ed Joyce is Irish so he should not be even friggin playing for England

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Half the English team isn't from England:

Simon Jones - Wales
Geraint Jones - PNG/Wales/Australia
Andrew Strauss - South Africa
Kevin Pietersen - South Africa
Ed Joyce - Ireland

[heater31]

Half the English team isn't from England:

Simon Jones - Wales
Geraint Jones - PNG/Wales/Australia
Andrew Strauss - South Africa
Kevin Pietersen - South Africa
Ed Joyce - Ireland

dont mind the welsh playing as its the England and Wales Cricket board the rest are just rejects from other countries Geriant Jones struggled to make Qld's 2nd XI

[Adelaide Hawk]

It's not a break, it's only bruise. No batsman should ever miss a Test with a bruised hand.

[SOTTERS]

Lets not forget that there has been a number of Australian players that have derived from different countries also.

K.Wessells
M.Velletta
B.Jullian
A.Symonds
P.Jaques

[rod_rooster]

It's not a break, it's only bruise. No batsman should ever miss a Test with a bruised hand.

Seriously if there is no break he should play. I'm not big noting myself in any way but i played as a batsman 3 days after breaking 2 fingers (not test cricket granted) and i am no tough guy.

Bell is useless anyway. Made runs against Bangladesh, then had a lean series against Australia where he was exposed as the fraud he is. Got picked to play against a Pakistan side whose strike bowlers with Akthar missing were military medium at best.