Cricket: Bell seeking a more mature role.

Byline: By MYLE HODGSON

IAN BELL is hoping to return home from New Zealand next month having made major strides towards changing perceptions of his status on the international stage.

The Warwickshire batsman has been labelled as a promising youngster from the moment he initially made his Test and one-day international debuts over three years ago as a fresh-faced 22-year-old.

But Bell, who has now played 33 Tests and 62 one-day internationals, is desperate to make the transition away from being regarded as a talented youngster into the type of player who demands instant respect from international opposition.

"If you look at any of the best players in the world there's a maturity level that goes with them," explained Bell. "There's something about them, the way they practise, the way they are as people, I think that's something I'm trying to move towards.

"It's not just about when you're in the nets and how you practise, there's a whole maturity thing that goes around them when they're in the dressing room - it's the way they control their own game, they don't rely on anyone else to be their batting coach for them.

"If you look at Ricky Ponting, he controls everything himself about his own game and that's something I'm trying to do."

Bell went some way towards aiding his progress towards that sort of status with a key role in Friday's revival win over New Zealand, when he scored 73 in a six wickets triumph having lost the opening two one-day internationals comfortably.

"It was nice to make an impact on us winning a game," he added.

"I feel as if I've been hitting the ball well, but I just haven't been getting the scores and it was nice to make an impact.

CAPTION(S):

England cricket star Ian Bell