Player Profiles: Paul Collingwood

Paul Collingwood

Paul Collingwood MBE is a batting all-rounder, whose batting combines natural strokeplay with great tenacity, hendce the citation that he is the heir to the legendary South African Jonty Rhodes.

Collingwood, who has a regular member of the English side and captained the One Day International (ODI) team from 2007 to 2008, embodies superior work ethic, batting tenacity, mesmerizing fielding ability, and most importantly, a sense of enjoyment.

Collingwood, who also bowls at a reliable medium pace, has been described as a as a natural athlete who is also regarded as one of England’s finest fielders. He usually fields at backward point or in the slips, but he has served as wicketkeeper for England, as well.

Collingwood made his first class debut in 1998, his first appearance for England in ODI cricket in 2001 and his Test match debut in 2003. Following his ODI debut against Pakistan in 2001, Collingwood’s first five outings averaged a mere 11.2.

He remained an occasional player for two years, but after extended stints as England’s 12th man owing to his fielding ability, he replaced flu-afflicted skipper Nasser Hussain in Galle during England’s trip to Sri Lanka. Although he scored a mere 37 in two innings with the bat, his fielding caught the eye once again when he held a total of five catches and caused a run-out.

By 2005, Collingwood was an ODI regular and selected for the Ashes final, which secured his place on the team. He was the first Englishman to record a double century when he batted a 206 in Australia during the 2006-2007 Ashes and he was lauded by the British media after a series of three consecutive match-winning performances at the end of the 2006-2007 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia. He bowled some vital overs for a draw, resulting in a historic triumph for England against their old foes. 

In 2010, Collingwood led England to their first ICC Trophy at the 2010 World Twenty20. He is England’s most capped ODI cricketer and leading ODI scorer.

Collingwood, who announced his retirement from Test cricket in January 2011 during the fifth Test of the 2010-2011 Ashes series, left world class cricket on a high, becoming a three-times Ashes winner as England won a series in Australia for the first time in 24 yeras, with an innings victories contributing to a 3-1 win.