Stewart backs Bell to make mark

Bell was out in single figures twice in the tour opener

Former England captain Alec Stewart says Ian Bell could go on to join England's batting elite if he is given further opportunities at Test level.

Bell was set to be dropped for the Tests in Pakistan, but could gain a reprieve with Michael Vaughan's injury.

"I believe he will score 5,000 Test runs - he's going to be that good a player," said Stewart, one of just 16 England players to pass that mark.

"I believe Bell will be that good that we've got to stick with him."

Bell scored 297 runs in his first three Tests but struggled against Australia, with two half-centuries and seven single-figure scores during the Ashes.

Duncan Fletcher doesn't make too many bad judgement calls and he believes Collingwood is a special player Alec Stewart

He was just one of the England batsmen who struggled in the opening tour match in Pakistan, when he made three in two innings.

And he was left out of the side that lost to Pakistan A this weekend as England opted for what they hoped would be their Test line-up.

But Stewart, who acts as a mentor for Bell, told BBC Radio Five Live: "He just needs to mature as a cricketer.

"He won't come up against anything tougher than this Ashes series he's just played in.

"Even though he didn't set the world alight, he will have learned so much and that will turn him into a better international cricketer."

Speaking on Sport on Five, Stewart's former England team-mate Dominic Cork questioned the wisdom of including Paul Collingwood as an all-rounder for the series.

"I'd rather see and out-and-out batter. If Collingwood is the next best batsman in line then fair enough but he wouldn't be my choice," he said.

However, Stewart argued: "Duncan Fletcher doesn't make too many bad judgement calls and he believes Collingwood is a special player."