By Brian Halford From Birmingham Mail

Warwickshire batsman called out after injury doubts among 16-man squad

Warwickshire batsman Ian Bell will fly out to join up with England’s squad in the Caribbean tomorrow ready to chase a surprise chance to force his way into contention for the Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this month.

Bell is not selected in the original 16-strong party for the T20 World Cup but has been called out to the West Indies this week as batting cover in the light of one or two injury doubts around the squad.

And, having enjoyed a few weeks off to dust himself down from England’s Ashes mauling, the Bears batsman is happy to be back involved again – and keen to press his case for inclusion in the national team in all formats in the coming season.

“It will be exciting to be around a T20 camp again,” Bell said.

“I haven’t been part of the England T20 team for a couple of years now and very rarely do I get the chance to play it with Warwickshire with the way the fixtures have fallen in recent years.

“It’s nice to be thought of as cover and it will be good to be in the meetings and listening to what’s going on.

“I never want to stop learning and there are some guys out there in the squad who have played a lot of Twenty20 cricket so I can learn from them.

“That will help me, both in terms of England and when I come back to Warwickshire and helping the Bears win some T20 games.

“I am only going out there for ten days, as it stands, but if the injuries don’t clear up then there is a possibility I could go to the World Cup which would be most unexpected.”

After the fall-out from the Ashes whitewash, England’s teams are heading for a period of deep transition but Bell remains keen to stay involved on Test, ODI and T20 fronts, if he can.

“You only play for England for a small period of time so you want to play every game you can,” he said. “As a player, you always want to challenge yourself and get better in all formats.”

For more on this story go to:

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/cricket/ian-bell-flies-out-caribbean-6767777