Ian Bell survives video referral to score first Ashes century
Ian Bell has paid tribute to England's coaching set-up after he scored his first century in an Ashes Test match.
England made 488 for seven, boosted by Bell's 115 and Alastair Cook's to 189 to end day three of the Fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground with a lead of 208 runs.
"We have a great ethic in how we train, how we net, and that's what we take onto the field," said Warwickshire batsman Bell."That's something that really helped my game.
"Hopefully I can carry that on in my career."
Bell admitted his first Ashes ton was a monkey off his back.
"It means everything," he said. "I've had a pretty tough time against Australia.
"Earlier in my career I was pretty much outdone by Australia. Hopefully I can kick on."
Bell survived a moment of controversy when he called for DRS after Aleem Dar gave him caught behind off Shane Watson.
In the absence of compelling 'Hotspot' evidence to support the decision, it was overturned - only for 'Snicko', considered a less robust and certainly much slower scientific simulation, to indicate several minutes later that there had been an inside-edge after all.
Asked if he touched the ball, Bell said: "I don't know. That's why I used the review.
"Matt Prior was pretty confident I didn't hit it. That's why the system's there. I wasn't 100% sure that I had or hadn't.
"There possibly was a noise but I didn't feel anything on the bat."
Cook also survived a close decision, when Phil Hughes initially appeared to get his hands underneath one at short-leg off Michael Beer.
Cook stood his ground and was vindicated when the umpires consulted video replays - which demonstrated the ball had bounced.
"(Hughes) said he wasn't sure, and Brad Haddin as well, so they checked," said Cook, who was keen to play down the incident.
"When the technology's there, it makes sense."
As for the match situation, Bell insists England will look to push on and win the match, rather than be content with the draw they need to claim a series victory.
"Definitely," he said. "Tomorrow morning we want to score as many runs as possible.
"Hopefully our bowlers will get enough opportunity to get 10 wickets."
Cook said his lean summer spurred him on to his prolific Ashes series, which has continued his 189 in Sydney.
The 26-year-old has now scored 766 for the series, as England moved into a commanding position in a Test match they need only to draw for a first Ashes victory in Australia since 1987.
Asked what has motivated him this winter, Cook, who has batted for 2,171 minutes in the series, said: "When you don't score runs.
"I spent a lot of last summer not scoring runs. It's pretty lonely.
"When you don't get any for a while, then you find form, you've got to make the most of it."
On his concentration and stamina, Cook added: "You can switch off a little bit at the non-striker's end.
"When you're batting well you get into a rhythm, you don't get flustered. Suddenly an hour goes, it's drinks and you don't know where it's gone.
"(I do) a lot of hard work in the gym. I'm lucky I don't sweat, I don't get too hot, and I'm pretty fit.
"(With) my technique, I've gone back to what I started with. We've got a great set-up here.
"We've got great confidence in how we've been playing over a period of time."
