Bell credits England fightback on team talk

ADELAIDE, Dec 1 (Reuters) A team meeting two days before the second Ashes test was the catalyst for England's improved performance today, batsman Ian Bell said.

England skipper Andrew Flintoff called his players together for a frank discussion about their disappointing performance in the first test in Brisbane. Bell said the players agreed they had underperformed in Brisbane and made a pledge to make amends in Adelaide.

''It was only the players who spoke, there were no management there,'' Bell told a news conference on Friday.

''We had to be honest and say we weren't good enough in Brisbane... and we wanted to come here and show people how good a cricket team we are.

''We are here to play the best team in the world and sometimes you can go through things with mediocrity and say it was good enough but we had to be honest and say we weren't.'' England's new resolve paid off on the opening day at Adelaide Oval when they won the toss and made 266 for three.

Paul Collingwood followed up his 96 in Brisbane with an unbeaten 98 over four and a half hours and Kevin Pietersen finished the day on 60 not out after Bell also made a fighting 60.

DECENT CRICKET ''I think today was seriously important for us,'' Bell said.

''Whatever we did whether it was bowling or batting we had to do it well from ball one and we've pretty much done that with the bat today.

''We've shown today against their best attack that we've played some decent cricket as well. It's important for us to get as many as we can and grind away and keep Australia out there as long as possible.'' Bell said he was disappointed not to make a bigger score after playing a rash shot on 60 but said he was confident his team mate Collingwood would go on and reach his hundred after he missed out in Brisbane because of a rush of blood.

''He deserves it, he played really well at the Gabba (in Brisbane) and he's done exactly the same today and hopefully he can go on tomorrow and get his century,'' Bell said.

''The great thing about this England team is that we do enjoy people's success and we are dead keen to see him get a hundred after getting 96 at the Gabba.

''The difference between him and some other players that have played in the past is that he's such a gutsy cricketer and gives it everything.

''He's not frightened of tough situations and I think he's shown that on this tour already that when it's tough he'll get in there and fight for England.'' REUTERS PM KP1440