Paul Collingwood

No excuses needed, just hard work

Tue Aug 11 06:56AM

We have got to be very honest about where things went wrong at Headingley and where we go from here.

The performance in the fourth Test was extremely disappointing; we played terribly.

You can make all the excuses you want about injuries, or getting woken up at 5am by a fire alarm, but from ball one Australia outplayed us in every department.

It is hard to put your finger on what makes teams' fortunes change so quickly. In some ways that is the beauty of sport, although it doesn't seem too beautiful at the moment.

You never want to get beaten like that and it hurts. But the key for us is to put the emotion to one side and get to work on all the things that need fixing.

Sport isn't an exact science, and if you knew what was going to happen, nobody would watch it. But we know that Australia put us under more pressure than we did to them.

We have shown our potential in this series; we played superbly at Lord's and three days of cricket ago, we had them on the ropes.

When you play against Australia you know there are going to be pressure situations, but we didn't get through them. We have to respond better.

On day three Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann went out, showed fighting spirit and played positively.

The overall scheme of things is that we are going into the final Test drawing one-all, and the series will be decided at the Oval.

In terms of a spectacle, it couldn't be better, and we have to view it as a great opportunity. In the past we have responded well after a poor performance and we must do that now.

We have 10 days to put this defeat aside and prepare for the Oval, and what we do between now and then is absolutely crucial.

I am going to be straight into the nets with the bowling machine, working out different angles and trying to get things right technically and mentally.

The Australians got me cheaply twice in this match, and I will be working hard to get 100 per cent ready for the fifth Test.

Andrew Strauss was right to say that we mustn't panic. In general, you have to take the game to Australia, but that doesn't mean we have to be throwing the bat around from the word go.

We got into a good position in the series by playing to our strengths and performing solidly. We shouldn't rip up all those plans now.

I thought the Headingley crowd were fantastic, and it's such a shame we couldn't provide a performance worthy of them.

They turned up on Friday with high expectations, and despite the disappointment they didn't get on our backs and gave us great support.

Even on the third morning they were fantastic. It was a full house and they were superb. I feel sorry for fans who had tickets for the fourth day.

There is a lot of work to do between now and the fifth Test. We need to put this disappointment behind us and roar back at the Oval.

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All i can say is show a bit of fight and stop living in the comfort zone of central contracts if i put up a display like what you have just done in my job i would not be round very long,as i am in the Army off to somewhere very dangerous soon.
From chrismurphy22 on Sun Aug 09 08:18PM
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All i can say is show a bit of fight and stop living in the comfort zone of central contracts if i put up a display like what you have just done in my job i would not be round very long,as i am in the Army off to somewhere very dangerous soon.
From chrismurphy22 on Sun Aug 09 08:18PM
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You keep your head down son when you do go! You are already a hero to your family and friends not to mention 99% of the general population, England Cricket team take heed and turn that into recovering the ashes! We were bobbins in this test!
From pistolp3o on Sun Aug 09 09:34PM
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why is this article out so soon after the match ended? does this mean collingwood has been thinking through the test 'oh what am i going to write in my column this time?' when he should be concentrating on playing!? concentrate on your cricket lads nothing else should have to be worried about until well after the game is done and dusted
From kellymdiaz on Sun Aug 09 09:55PM
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Well you knew that when you joined the army, number one. What are you talking about! Cricket isn't a battle - nobody's protecting someone else's life or all that faff about land and territory. Think you could do better with a bat in your hand?
From garneralan267 on Sun Aug 09 11:20PM
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Colly is not a no.5 test batsman! At best no.6. He is a poor man's Steve Waugh. But no one can deny his gutsiness but test cricket is about class not gutsiness!
From michaelsmith470 on Mon Aug 10 12:12AM
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HOW CAN A PERSON QUESTION COLLINGWOODS POSITION OF BATTING????? THERE ARE NUMBER OF TIMES HE HAS TAKEN OUT ENGLAND FROM TRAVEL YET............... WE ARE RIGHT BEHIND YOU GUYS AND WILL BE AT OVAL TOO WITH FULL VOICE... I M NOT ENGLISH NEITHER AUSTRALIA HATING INDIAN, I M PROUD MAN FROM NEPAL RIGHT BEHIND ENGLISH GUYS.... I KNOW U CAN DO IT....
From amufan1 on Mon Aug 10 05:21AM
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Colly, please just retire gracefully, become a selector or a bigwig in the ECB - you can't be worse than the current lot of bozos. As for bowling machines can they be set to deliver inswing and outswing? C'mon, Bopara should be batting in your position. And If only chris murphy would take a bat in his hand and learn to wield it against the Aussies instead of learning to take the life of a fellow human! Ah well, good lucks to yous, anyways.
From frogerius on Mon Aug 10 05:52AM
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is this the afl ??
From hadi.ajam on Mon Aug 10 08:02AM
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losing for you obviously does not 'hurt' enough
From pzedzed on Mon Aug 10 08:27AM
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I find it amazing that Collingwood assumes he will be in the next side. If we reward abject failure like his, Bopara's, Bell's etc with a place in the final test, then we don't deserve to win. The likes of Collingwood and Bopara should stop writing articles and get in the nets.
From kestephenson on Mon Aug 10 08:31AM
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Frogerius, who said taliban or Al-Qaeda were human.
What he was trying to say was for the English team to show the same kind of spirit that has epitomised the English over history. Ruthlessness and tenacity aka bulldog spirit.
Not an opening and middle order that are a bunch of public school farts with the spine of a jelly fish.
Invest in cricket at youth level so its as accessible as weekend football is to everyone. Hundreds of thousands of kids and adults play football every weekend. How many of us have EASY access to cricket teams?
From ndallen74 on Mon Aug 10 08:37AM
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Isn't it about time some other batsmen had a chance? This tired old side is not showing any form. Why not give Roberet key of Kent another shot. He did score a double century when he last played for England and showing good form now, but the selectors still stick with players who have failed time and time again.
Terry M
From terama119 on Mon Aug 10 08:53AM
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About time some batsmen were dropped. Bring in Robert Key of Kent. He did score a double century when he played for England
terama119
From terama119 on Mon Aug 10 08:55AM
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Too many of our cricketers are too keen on talking - they'd do better to listen and learn. If I had my way, they'd be paid on results, not just on turning up. PRGH
From prghicks on Mon Aug 10 09:01AM
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We need to beg Marcus Trescothick to make one final test appearance, he is the only fit test class batsman left in England.
From tarewaste on Mon Aug 10 09:02AM
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Youngsters are not being encouraged so they will never have anyone to replace this team Look at the panic because Flintoff and Pietersen are absent! I've said it before, no team should have to rely on one or two players, there should be back up. No player will last forever so it is vital to keep training new players. Until the 'old boys' club' attitude goes away, England don't have mcuh chance.
From bmush_uk on Mon Aug 10 09:09AM
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is it time to recall Ted Dexter?
From gweccles on Mon Aug 10 09:14AM
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How about the bowleres hitting the right line and length and the batsmen playing straight? Seems a decent place to start to me. Get the basics right and the rest will follow surely? Harmy was too short and gave away too much, as did all the others, and he's the bowler who's alleged to be terrorising county batsmen?
From rob_overfield on Mon Aug 10 09:15AM
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What has to happen to bring in Robert Key? He is an English I say again English test batsman. Too much selection is based on one day matches. For example yourself and Bopara. This is a good opportunity to take the ashes as this is the weakest side the Aussies have put out. So come on get the selection right.
From ps9rp on Mon Aug 10 09:16AM
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It's not about hard work Paul, it's about mental attitude... In the 4th Test, England were beaten before they even wielded a bat in anger. Too much time was spent on asserting that the Ozzies never lie down and would come out with all guns blazing, not enough on how we were going to beat them. We were entirely reactive and in defensive mode from the first ball. Personally, with the exception of Collingwood who could turn it around, I'd get rid of the middle order and bring in form batsmen for the final test. Bopara and Bell are a waste of space. It's like trying to put together a decent total every time with nine men!! I have more confidence in Jimmy Anderson with the bat! So come on selectors - BE BRAVE AND DECISIVE! PICK 2 FORM BATSMEN FOR THE MIDDLE ORDER!
From wardy123 on Mon Aug 10 09:22AM
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Get rid of bowling coach Otis Gibson. Top class bowlers should not need to be told where or how to bowl, or if they do, they are not top class bowlers.
From robin1952 on Mon Aug 10 09:27AM
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Sometimes one can provide valid reasons for a loss at the highest level but England's performance against Australia was just " plain awful". It amazed me that the tail wagged so enthusiastically but it was too late to make a difference. Perhaps the 20/20 and other one day games make players play shots and bowl with the abreviated game in mind but they still play three day games and therefore should be able to cope with Test matches. England seem to have so little talent and that is the basic reason for poor performances like this.
From roger.williams20 on Mon Aug 10 09:46AM
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The game is over now chaps! It is time to get on with something useful. The selectors ( sadly not us ) have a job to do and get some life back in the team. I agree Colli is taking it for granted he is playing the next game. That is where I think its wrong each and everyone in that team should be playing for places. Scouts should be out looking for likely lads who show determination and want to do well. It is not a lot of good saying when you have only scored 100 in the first inningsa you don't feel good. That is negative and coming from the CAPTAIN a dreadful thing to say let alone admit. Captains should show resolve the need to fight back and work hard. Just what is up with this generation I ask.
Disgusted
From m_a_coleman.t21 on Mon Aug 10 09:47AM
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We need a batting lineup of KP (once fit), Moore, Trott (all South African). We should also seek to offer passports to promising Australians who are not quite good enough to play for Australia. Nash is doing well for the Windies at present for example. I also think that we should send young players over to Australia and other countries so that they can learn the game in differing environments.
More seriously, Colly is worth his place in the side. he has done well generally. the problem is mental not technical. Ravi is beaten, unfortunately. He has a fragiel ego and brash confidence when he is doing well. The Australians have the measure of him. Bell just does not seem to have put to bed his mental frailties. even his 50 was not a convincing knock. definitley need to freshen it up. new batsmen needed. new faces will make people value their places
From miseryguts77755 on Mon Aug 10 09:47AM
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Paul Collingwood MBE - what a joke.
If England win the next test, he will expect to be given a Dukedom.
From smhannaford on Mon Aug 10 09:50AM
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Just read all preceding comments. Most of it is a load of bull. Let's face it, England are going no where. As we have seen recently, no Pieterson / Flintoff you struggle to beat most teams. Too much effort is being put on these guys shoulders. Look to the future, they can't be around forever. You only have to look at the West Indians. The greats have gone. Like them, England are currently second rate performers, relying on a few players to perform.
Guru
.
From montage12000 on Mon Aug 10 10:07AM
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Are they serious about bringing back Ramprakash? Perhaps Walter Hammond might suddenly appear with Denis Compton.!!! Keep this team to-gether one never knows at the oval they might come up trumps. It is ridiculous to rely on Flintoff and KP all the time. Should be very exciting at the Oval.
Rule Britannia.
From robin.jowers on Mon Aug 10 10:14AM
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I hope the English selectors don't make any changes to the team in the 5th test. Give the boys a chance to prove their spirit and heart are in the right place. Let them play as a team and show the world they are good enough to reclaim the biggest prize in cricket. Anyway if there's no change, it'll make it easier for us Aussies to win the test and walk away with the urn... sing-a-long everyone!! 2:1, 2:1, 2:1, 2:1....
From still_stuckintheuk on Mon Aug 10 10:20AM
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Perhaps it should read "I will be working hard to be 100% ready for the next test IF SELECTED!!!"
From andynpeters on Mon Aug 10 10:21AM
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