WHEN Jimmy Ormond came on to bowl his off spin with the score 243 for three after 65 overs yesterday, there was a suspicion that Surrey’s decision to ask Warwickshire to bat had not been entirely justified. Surrey seem to be reserving all their best form for the Twenty20 Cup.

Ian Bell showed why he should be next in line behind Robert Key for an England call-up with a fluent 155, his third championship hundred of the season. Mike Powell scored a second consecutive championship century to help Warwickshire towards what should be maximum batting points for the eighth consecutive time and leave Surrey with egg on their faces.

Bell was elegance and ruthlessness personified. He worked over every Surrey bowler save Ormond. Drop the ball short and he rocked back to pull for four; pitch up and he drove straight or through the covers. It was a better innings than his unbeaten 262 at Horsham, but that innings changed his season. After two lean years, Bell, still only 22, looks a far more mature player than the one touted for England in 2002. He credits club cricket in Australia over the winter and his setbacks for toughening him mentally.

Bell was named in England’s 30-man provisional squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. His one-day record this season is modest, averaging only 10.88 in nine innings in the totesport League and flopping in the Twenty20 Cup, but he should prosper in the shorter form in time.

Despite the overcast conditions that must have encouraged Jonathan Batty to field, it seemed a brave decision given Warwickshire’s form. The last five times that the first division leaders have won the toss they have batted and scored 499 or more.

At the start of play, Bell’s average of 58.54 left him only eighth in the Warwickshire averages. History suggested it might be an error, too. Guildford has been a happy hunting ground for Surrey — they have won 36 of the 62 championship games here since 1938 and lost eight. The last time they won the toss and chose to bowl at the venue was against Warwickshire in 1994. They lost by 256 runs.

The start was delayed by a quarter of an hour because Warwickshire were held up by traffic caused by the Farnborough Air Show. Perhaps ruffled, they made a poor start. Mark Wagh was caught behind cutting off the front foot in the second over and, after rattling up the 36 he needed for 1,000 first-class runs this season, Nick Knight edged to second slip. Things might have been different if Alistair Brown had caught a regulation catch at second slip off Azhar Mahmood when Bell was 25.

Bell was dropped again on 64 by Batty off Nayan Doshi, but went on to put on 214 in 51 overs with Powell, equalling the record for the highest score for any wicket against Surrey at Guildford. Powell, working the leg side to Bell’s off, looks a batsman reborn without the responsibility of captaincy. He took his chance with a century in the last championship game, against Kent, and edged out Jim Troughton for this match.

Bell cut to point and Powell was leg-before near the end, but the damage had already been done. But while it was new for Guildford, it was the same old story for Surrey this season.

Martin Bicknell, the Guildford boy who has taken so many wickets here, could only watch mournfully from the pavilion. His groin injury has worsened and he will be out for another month. Rikki Clarke, another local boy, played but could not bowl and Azhar only bowled off eight paces.

BEST BOWLING

M Davies 6-44

BEST BATTING

I R Bell 155

Balls 238 Fours 24

AGGREGATE RUNS

R W T Key 1,169
G A Hick 1,042
N V Knight 1,000
B J Hodge 967
I R Bell 945

AGGREGATE WICKETS

M Davies 48
A R Caddick 41
Danish Kaneria 40
D S Harrison 39
J Lewis 37

FASTEST HUNDRED

(Walter Lawrence Trophy): A R Adams, 80 balls, Essex v Leicestershire, July 21