Ian Bell: In it for the glory!
Ian Bell will take winning the Ashes over the Stanford 20/20 millions any day of the week, according to today’s Sun.
England’s opener is “excited” at the prospect of getting his hands on the £570,000 cheque every player will get if they are triumphant in the winner-takes-all match against Stanford Superstars on November 1.
But Bell would take beating the Aussies in the Ashes next summer over the $1 million-a-man jackpot. “The rewards for winning an Ashes series are not just financial……everyone remembers it for a long time — a lot longer than winning some money.”
England have made a great start under the captaincy of Kevin Pietersen, and Australia have just lost a test heavily in India. That, coupled with an ageing Australian line-up who are having trouble replacing their past greats, and Bell sniffs a possibility.
“There’s already momentum building under Kevin Pietersen’s captaincy. By the time we reach The Ashes, we’ll have a good idea of how good the team is.”
“It’s really exciting to be given the chance to win this money but, as a team, we’d much prefer to win The Ashes next year. That might sound silly because the amount is so big but The Ashes is the bigger picture for us.
What he could do with that money:
- Buy a customised Rolls-Royce just like the Sultan of Brunei’s
- a meal for 40 at Bangkok’s Iebua Hotel. On the menu black truffles, foie gras, oysters and live Brittany lobsters; caviar; Jerusalem artichokes and white truffles from Rome. £100,000 of wine.
