Bell puts Bears in driving seat

LV= COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP, DIVISION ONE, Edgbaston:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY TWO: Warwickshire 217 & 84-1 v Yorkshire 274
Warwicks 4pts, Yorkshire 5 pts
Match scorecard

Bell looked in confident form

England batsman Ian Bell ensured Warwickshire remained in a strong position on the second day against Yorkshire with a resolute unbeaten 41.

Bell looked in fine nick on a lively pitch, hitting six fours and also smashing a six from Adil Rashid.

Yorkshire had established a 57-run first-innings lead thanks to a resolute 44 from Rashid and a defiant unbeaten 30 from Ajmal Shahzad.

But Bell steadied any nerves despite the early loss of skipper Ian Westwood.

The opener edged the paceman's eighth delivery behind the wicket but Bell, who survived a run-out chance on 23, took Warwickshire to 84-1 at close of play.

Yorkshire resumed on 128-3 this morning, still trailing by 89.

Both of the overnight pair went within five balls of each after a watchful opening hour.

New captain Andrew Gale's stand was ended when he was lbw to Neil Carter and Jacques Rudolph lost concentration on 75 and his leg stump was knocked back by Imran Tahir.

Carter soon accounted for Jonathan Bairstow, the Yorkshire wicketkeeper tamely swatting a short delivery to square leg.

And Yorkshire seemed to be struggling at 197 for seven when Naqaash Tahir had Tim Bresnan caught behind.

But Rashid's fighting knock helped build a lead and when he succumbed to the part-time bowling of England batsman Jonathan Trott, Yorkshire looked in a good position.

However Bell's excellent 59-ball innings has seemingly put the hosts back in the driving seat.

BBC Sport's Clive Eakin offers his second day verdict:

Bare-chested men, sunhats and sun cream all evident on the second day of the season at Edgbaston (that's the spectators not the players).

The match remains well poised. Perhaps some of the life has gone out of the pitch although England prospect Ajmal Shahzad is still getting some lift from it. The delivery that dismissed Ian Westwood was a beauty.

Imran Tahir has been finding some turn and the spinner from Pakistan but now qualified as a South African already looks like a decent signing for the Bears, not least because he's expected to be available for the whole season.

Warwickshire are right back in the match going into the third day and Ian Bell is once again looking a few classes above county cricket.

There continues to be much talk of reducing the Championship perhaps to three conferences but crowds of respectable numbers have watched two absorbing days here.

Although there was a spell of attrition between lunch and tea, the match has progressed with purpose and the contest has been pretty even.