Paul Collingwood

Rest will do me good

Tue Sep 15 08:16AM

I am in the unusual position of having the week off after being rested for three one-day internationals.

When it was put to be that I was going to be rested, part of me was disappointed because you always want to play for your country, especially against Australia.

However, you need to look at the bigger picture, and the constant treadmill I have been on since 2005. I have only missed a few games when I was banned, but otherwise it has been almost non-stop cricket and there comes a time when your body and mind need a rest.

We have got a lot of cricket coming up and it was a strong decision and a good one from the England management. I know how I was feeling, and I was starting to wear down a bit.

It is something quite new, and you don't really know how to respond when you are told, because you are used to just ploughing on and getting little breaks wherever you can.

But it is something Andy Flower and the management team have done increasingly - Jimmy Anderson is also getting a rest at the moment and Andrew Strauss and Stuart Broad had some games off just after the Ashes.

It is something that is going to become increasingly common, and I think in future it will be done in a pre-planned way. Over the next 18 months I think we're on duty for something like 450 days. It's amazing, and it is vital that players showing signs of fatigue get a chance to recharge.

I was told on Friday, and they basically told me to go away and do nothing for a few days! So we went up to Scotland and had a beautiful weekend away at Loch Lomond.

Now I am back at home and am booked in for some pilates and yoga sessions this week. People might laugh at that, but it's something that has always given me core strength and a good base.

I'm hoping to be involved in the final game against Australia at Durham on Sunday, and we will be hoping to end the summer on a high note after a one-day series that has been pretty disappointing so far.

I have been completely detached from cricket so I haven't had much of a chance to look at the central contracts for next season.

Steve Harmison will be disappointed to have missed out but Graham Onions has come in and done exceptionally well.

As we have seen, a central contract is no guarantee you will play, so there will be plenty of chances for Harmy and others to prove themselves and win a place in the team.

Comments1 - 19 of 19

I thought this article would be on England and what we need to do 2 improve in the 1 day format, not a piece out of collingwoods diary?
From postmanpatcan on Tue Sep 15 08:41AM
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From freegadgets34 on Tue Sep 15 09:12AM
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Get off your high horse you jumped up, arrogant pr*ck! You've been dropped from the team because you are playing badly and have done all summer. It just shows what pu55ies the selectors are by leaving it until the ODI series is decided to drop one of the big names because they are playing cr*p. Man up England and make some bold decisions once in a while. You'll never be the best if you can't make difficult decisions.
From ssrx_surfer on Tue Sep 15 09:38AM
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Yet another sad article from Collingwood. Makes me wonder if he ever takes the time out to read some of the comments we post on here week after week. Paul you've never been an intergral part of the England side, and quite frankly, I'm sure they're better off without you at this point. You talk a good game, but you can never walk the walk...Get over yourself man, get your mind in gear, focus on your cricket, and scoring big runs and being a batter batsman, and all round cricketer!
Marlon J
From still_x on Tue Sep 15 09:44AM
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rest them all no one is playing well
From rushie60 on Tue Sep 15 10:28AM
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Make it a permanent rest and do the rest of us some good . Colly at best is a decent all rounder and should play as that . Why he is classed as a front line international batsman is beyond me . There is no way he would get into most other test teams and it is time he was left out of Englands front li9ne too
From billy.mckain on Tue Sep 15 01:10PM
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rest him for good and bring new blood
From ale.artybrookman on Tue Sep 15 08:16PM
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You Wally Colly, you have been dropped! About time too! You have played about 75 days of cricket since Jan 1st. There are County cricketers who have played nearly 90 since April. Personally I thought you were practising your yoga out in the middle, with a strike rate of 0.57. Make way for the youngsters and go and play for your County, if they can remember that you are on the playing staff.
From tonypearce189 on Wed Sep 16 07:56PM
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Who cares!!!My girlfriend thinks the same. She is sixty years older than me,lol. We met online at _Ageminge@come. A nice and free place for Younger Resting cricketers to meet oldbags. Or whatever.
Please report abuse about this blog and see what it gets you
From tonypearce189 on Wed Sep 16 08:02PM
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I'm at a loss to understand why people read Collys blog(yes Collys blog, not Englands, that's why it's about Colly) if all they want to do is criticise. Let's not forget that, without his innings at Cardiff, we wouldn't have won the Ashes. Yes, he's out of form but so was Pietersen before his op, so is Bopara. No one is good all the time. Have a good break with your family, Colly and hope to see you back for the last ODI, athough it's looking like a 7-0 whitewash.
From sueashes on Thu Sep 17 12:13PM
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Collingwood must be a wind up merchant. If I was constantly @#$% at work and had one average day a week followed by four when I didn't do anything, I don't reckon it would be a week off I'd be getting.
From i4nhart on Thu Sep 17 01:19PM
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Is number 11 written by his mum or has he come up with an alias?
From i4nhart on Thu Sep 17 01:20PM
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A rest will do anyone good when the team they play in is a load of 5h1t.
What a helmet...
From helmethunter on Fri Sep 18 12:13PM
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b
From jillberry.t21 on Fri Sep 18 10:12PM
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collingwood is one of the most ordinary players ever to play for england. He needs to look at himself and ask what am I contributing. I have been watching the pro 40 season in England, and although many counties field weakened sides, there are some really promising young players out there. James Taylor from Leics, Alex Hales from notts to name but a few.
They are all about 19/20. The selectors should have said were 6 nil down, go and experience what international cricket is like, if you fail it dosnt matter, as you will come back stronger players. They cannot do any worse than what is there at the moment.
collingwood, join the real world.
H spain
From bighcyp on Sun Sep 20 08:24AM
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collingwood is one of the most ordinary players ever to play for england. He needs to look at himself and ask what am I contributing. I have been watching the pro 40 season in England, and although many counties field weakened sides, there are some really promising young players out there. James Taylor from Leics, Alex Hales from notts to name but a few.
They are all about 19/20. The selectors should have said were 6 nil down, go and experience what international cricket is like, if you fail it dosnt matter, as you will come back stronger players. They cannot do any worse than what is there at the moment.
collingwood, join the real world.
H spain
From bighcyp on Sun Sep 20 08:24AM
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what do you want - a pay rise?
From adheebhs_theblues on Sun Sep 20 09:29PM
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Sorry you people are unreal, Collingwoods a quality player. He scores important knocks during the Ashes09, what annoys is, ummmmmm whose better? Come on, tell me who will replace him? Double Century against Aussies where he averaged over 45 and we lost 5-0 in 06- 07
From webbie202004 on Mon Sep 21 10:03PM
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I listenned to Mike Atherton the other day talking about Englands Test teams, He was worried about the number of overseas players qualifying for places in the side, we already have Stauss, Pietersen, Trott, Prior South African. Mascarenhas Aussy. Morgan Irish Republican. then to come Kieswetter S.A. next season.
When will it come that all Eleven are less than English, Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish playing with the three lions badge on their chest. I wonder how many Foreigners are in the make up of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa to mention a few top world Nations.
From twodias2535 on Wed Sep 23 11:26AM
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