Ian Bell confident of Alastair Cook recovery

England batsman Ian Bell believes that his teammate and captain Alastair Cook will be fit for his side's opening Ashes Test against Australia in Brisbane next month.

Cook sat out a practice game on Tuesday because of a sore back and could miss his team's opening three-day tour match against a Western Australia Chairman's XI in Perth that begins on Thursday.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," BBC Sport quotes Bell as saying. "Obviously a long flight isn't always easy. He'll be right in the next week or so."

The first Test between Australia and England start on November 21.