Cow Corner Blog

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Wonder-Paul

Sun May 24 06:12PM

It's been almost four years since England won THAT Ashes series against Australia and set about drinking their combined bodyweight on a drinking tour of London.

It was the summer that made heroes of Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen, earning the pair world-beating reputations that have seen them command $1 million apiece to appear in this year's IPL.

But as we head towards the 2009 edition of the biggest grudge match in cricket, neither Flintoff nor Pietersen are looking particularly comfortable in their superhero costumes.

KP has been a pale imitation of his 2005 vintage in recent months, perhaps still affected by the debacle that was his short-lived England captaincy.

As for Flintoff, a knee injury on IPL duty saw him require surgery. For a player so reliant on swashbuckling physicality, anything short of optimum fitness would leave England short-changed.

Of course, both could well find the Ashes a reinvigorating experience, but if KP and Flintoff do shirk their hero duties, Paul Collingwood is Cow Corner's tip as the man to take centre stage.

Collingwood was once again highly influential for England in their most recent hammering of West Indies at Bristol.

The Durham man bowled with real intelligence to bag three wickets, combining changes of pace with swing and movement off the seam.

Granted, the WIndies are not exactly Australia, but Dwayne Bravo had moved fluently to 50 when Collingwood fooled him and knocked down his castle.

Collingwood followed that with a quickfire 47 from 50 balls to see England home to victory, batting with measured aggression and with the target always in sight.

It was the latest in a long line of match-winning performances from England's understated, unsung hero.

But in the absence of KP and Flintoff, Collingwood's efforts gave England fans more than a glimmer of hope that if the dynamic duo are below their best this summer, he could be the man to save them.

  • Comments1 - 9 of 9

  1. Sorry but KP has been found out to be an individul who seems not to plays for the team unless it suits him to do so!

    jonathangrosskopfFrom jonathangrosskopf on Sun May 24 07:43PM

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  2. Its all about Stuart Broad

    jenysissFrom jenysiss on Mon May 25 07:19PM

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  3. ...and Jimmy A-Son of course!

    jenysissFrom jenysiss on Mon May 25 07:19PM

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  4. Flintoff will do nothing this summer, nothing

    perfectparfitFrom perfectparfit on Mon May 25 07:21PM

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  5. I believe that a good part of our success in 2005 was because the Australians were faced with some relatively new players who took them by surprise. Relying on the "Old Firm" of KP, Flintoff, etc.would not be of benefit. The Aussies are well used to them by now and know much better how to deal with them. We have enough new talent coming up to do it again - if they are well led and properly used. The question is, who is the best person to lead them and use them ? I'll throw THAT question open to debate, maybe ? I know who my choice would be - recent poor form with the bat or not !

    koyli9002From koyli9002 on Mon May 25 08:20PM

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  6. koyli9002, you are joking, aren't you? The Aussies have never even heard of me, but I doubt that qualifies me to play in the Ashes! Freddie was hardly an unknown quantity in 2003, and nor were Harmison, Hoggard or Vaughan. And the Aussies won the subsequent Ashes 5-0, using the "Old Firm" of McGrath, Warne and Gilchrist to put England to the sword. In Test cricket, experience counts.

    That's not to say that form isn't quite handy, too. Freddie shouldn't come back into the side unless his FORM dictates that he is good value for dropping one of the bowlers that have done us proud in the current series against the Windies.

    timjgreen2From timjgreen2 on Tue May 26 03:47PM

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  7. #5 Sraus is the (my) answer to that. He's doing well now, lets just hope that against better opposition he can lead the way.

    saschavanpraaghFrom saschavanpraagh on Tue May 26 05:15PM

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  8. Collingwoods form in the APL needs to improve if he is ever going to go for the super hero Jersey :-)

    arttidescoFrom arttidesco on Thu May 28 07:50AM

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  9. OLE ! OLE ! OLE ! :-)
    BARCA ! BARCA ! BARCA ! :-)
    OLE ! OLE ! OLE ! :-)
    BARCA ! BARCA ! BARCA ! :-)
    OLE ! OLE ! OLE ! :-)
    BARCA ! BARCA ! BARCA ! :-)
    OLE ! OLE ! OLE ! :-)
    BARCA ! BARCA ! BARCA ! :-)
    OLE ! OLE ! OLE ! :-)
    BARCA ! BARCA ! BARCA ! :-)

    arttidescoFrom arttidesco on Thu May 28 07:51AM

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