Bell fails to ring a note

DUBAI // Ian Bell did little to fuel his hopes of a recall to England's senior one-day side, as the England Lions fell to a decisive 70-run defeat in the final match of their three-game series with Pakistan A. Bell will join up with the England's Test side, in which he is now firmly re-established, for two matches next month in Bangladesh. England will begin their one-day campaign on Sunday, however, without the Warwickshire batsman, whose time in the limited-overs wilderness is unlikely to end any time soon after this show. Bell's crawl to 30 from 58 balls in chase of 214 was indicative of a wider problem the second-string Lions side had against Pakistan A's four-pronged spin-attack here. The Englishmen eventually capitulated to 143 all out, with the Pakistani slow bowlers picking up nine wickets between them, to seal a 2-1 series win for their side.