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Moores touts Bell's captaincy credentials if Colly is absent

31/01/2008

Peter Moores has said there are a number of candidates to deputise for England captain Paul Collingwood if his shoulder injury should flare up again.

England begin their tour of New Zealand with a warm-up game this weekend but concerns remain over the Durham all-rounder, who has been dogged by shoulder and back problems of late.

However Moores, who is keen to add a one-day series victory in New Zealand to his resume following wins in India and Sri Lanka last year, believes the side will not struggle to replace Collingwood with an equally-adept candidate.

"We've got two or three decent options within the side," he said.

"We've got people like Ian Bell, who has captained the under-19s and is potentially a captain.

"He has a very good tactical cricket brain and we also have someone like Alastair Cook, although it is very early for him yet."

Moores also named Kevin Pietersen as an option, if necessary, during the upcoming two-match Twenty20 series and the five-game one-day series.

"We do have different options in the team and part of the job in any team is that you don't just want captains but you want internal leaders and that's what makes a side work," he added.

England begin their tour with two warm-up matches in Canterbury this weekend before the competitive games begin at Auckland's Eden Park ground in the first of the Twenty20 fixtures next Tuesday.