Sounds like Collys about to hang up the boots

In the line of fire following a miserable Ashes form, England middle order Paul Collingwood has admitted that he faces an uncertain future and the Sydney Test, starting on Monday, could be his last.

Collingwood, who has scored just 70 runs in five innings in the four Ashes Tests so far, conceded he is standing "at the crossroads" of his Test career.

The three-time Ashes hero, who was appointed an MBE after the 2005 victory, has been struggling for runs after scoring a double-century against Australia in Adelaide in 2006-07.

Former captain Andrew Flintoff has called for dropping Collingwood if England wants to be a world-beating side.

"My form during this series and most recently my latest failure in the fourth Test in Melbourne means the subject of my Test future was bound to be raised sooner or later," said Collingwood, who led England to World Twenty20 success in the Caribbean last May and remains an integral part of their one-day side.

"If this does turn out to be my last Test match, if, after this week, the selectors come to me and say it's time to go or I felt that myself, I'd leave very proud of what I've contributed to the England cricket team," Collingwood was quoted as saying by 'Mail on Sunday'.

Collingwood, who captained England to Twenty20 World Cup triumph last year, accepted that his primary job was to score runs and if he was not doing that he does not deserve a place in the Test side.

"I'm obviously disappointed with the series I've had with the bat so far. I can't get away from the fact that scoring runs is my job in the side, so I won't hide away. This is a big week for me in Sydney. I'm at the crossroads and what happens in the final Test may well determine what direction I go in.

"I'm sure by the end of this Test I'll know more myself and be better able to judge what the general feeling is in terms of where I am as a Test player and the contribution I can still make to the England team in future and what is the best way forward," he said.

"Yet, at the same time, I understand the arguments 100 per cent and I understand there are other batsmen after my spot. And the bottom line is that, at my age, if you're not scoring runs yourself you don?t deserve a place in the side," said 34-year-old Collingwood who has scored 4246 runs from 67 Tests.

Collingwood said if he has to quit Test cricket after Sydney match, he would still be a happy man with his achievements.

"No matter what happens from this point on, though, I can safely say that, after what I went through at the start of my career, if someone had offered me three Ashes wins, a Twenty20 World Cup and 10 Test hundreds I would have snapped their hand off," he said.

JKLever wrote:

Only 34. Having a bad trot but then he had bad trots when he was in his 20's.... got to say I never thought he'd make a decent fist of test cricket - can go down as one of my many 'bad calls' on the other thread. Think Dello was also particularly scathing at the time.

What is weird that it'll just be a 5 year test career - it seems a lot longer.

JKLever wrote:yeah, not fast enough

DJ_Smerk wrote:Colly hasn't bowled a 90mph delivery for about 35 years.

PlanetPakistan wrote:Morgan failed(sort of) due to brilliance of Asif, Aamer and Ajmal(to some extent)

There aren't too many bowlers in world cricket who are any where near as good as Aamer and Asif AND the conditions in general for test batting are a LOT easier than they were in that particular series.

Collingwood to Hussey, OUT, 75.6 mph, oh, Collingwood has struck! And it's Hussey who goes - what a very good ball from Paul Collingwood! He'd set up Hussey with several wider balls and this one swung back in, getting the inside edge on to the stumps


MEK Hussey b Collingwood 33 (108m 92b 2x4 0x6) SR: 35.86

beamer wrote:In a successful side you can allow yourselves the luxury of easing out an ageing player who seems to be in decline without it being too much of a gamble. It probably is time to think about giving someone else a go, whether that is Morgan or another candidate. That player can slot in at 6 with Bell moving up a place and an experienced top 4

Zat wrote:

beamer wrote:In a successful side you can allow yourselves the luxury of easing out an ageing player who seems to be in decline without it being too much of a gamble. It probably is time to think about giving someone else a go, whether that is Morgan or another candidate. That player can slot in at 6 with Bell moving up a place and an experienced top 4

Guys, why do you Poms always wnt to f*ck over Bell? He's just fine where he is, and well on the way to legend status.