Ian Bell Photo CricInfo

Warwickshire's 19 year-old batsman Ian Bell has been called up to join the England Test squad in New Zealand as cover for the injured Mark Butcher and captain Nasser Hussain. Both sustained their injuries while in the field during England's 98-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test in Christchurch.

Butcher has a cracked bone in his right hand, while Hussain jarred the middle finger on the same hand. Hussain expects to be fit to lead the side in the second Test starting in Wellington on Thursday, while Butcher hopes to be fit for the final Test starting on March 30th in Auckland.

Meanwhile Bell is due to fly to Wellington today with the man responsible for his selection, David Graveney. The chairman of selectors has been keeping an eye on the exciting progress of the Coventry-born, right-handed batsman as he has made his way through all the age-group sides.

A former England Under-19 captain, he appeared at under 14, 15, 16 and 17 age groups before that and was called up as a replacement for the England A side touring the Caribbean last winter where he made an immediate impression. Put into the team to face the Leeward Islands with a battery of fast bowlers on a bouncy pitch in Anguilla, he played an innings that realised only 31 runs but he survived for three hours. He has been highly recommended by Rod Marsh after his performances with the National Academy in Adelaide this winter.

Bell has only played 13 first-class matches, during the first of which he was bowled for a third ball duck. That was in 1999, but he put the disappointment behind him and last season finished ninth in the first-class averages, scoring 836 runs in 11 matches, including 103 against Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston when he became the youngest Warwickshire century-maker in the championship at the age of 19 years and 115 days.

That was one of three centuries he scored in his 16 innings as he averaged 64.30. His career average stands at 55.37. He captained the Academy to a 112-run victory over Western Australia in Perth in a match that finished only last Wednesday. He has featured prominently as a batsman with the Academy, and has bowled his right-arm medium pace with good effect.

It augurs well for Bell that his first international century came against New Zealand Under-19s at Alexandra during the 1998-99 tour.

While it is stressed that he is being taken to New Zealand now as cover for the injured batsmen, there is no reason to believe that he would be over-awed if he does get the chance to play. Failing that, this very mature teenager can only benefit from being around the England dressing room becoming acquainted with the atmosphere of Test cricket. If he does not get his chance now, it can only be a matter of time before he does.

© CricInfo