It's time to dump Paul Collingwood

I just think there's better cricketers out there in England now. Trott's come along, Pietersen will be back......Collingwood is 33, and apart from cashing in on the flat pitches in the Caribbean against an ordinary Windies attack, he's been struggling for form for over a year now. Yeah, he has guts etc, but you need technique, form and talent as well. His fielding isn't quite what it used to be either.

It's time to go.

If he was the only player performing poorly then it would be fair enough, but there's so much uncertainty in our batting line-up that perhaps it's the wrong time to be axing a senior player. If you're talking about ODI cricket then his bowling remains a valuable option as well. Maybe time to revise his role a bit and have him at 6 or 7?

There's a few batsmen under pressure - Shah and Bopara have to start making significant contributions, not 30 or 40 and then getting out. Given that 50 over cricket is possibly on the way out then maybe we should just go for it and give 3 or 4 young batsmen an opportunity?

I've given up giving up on Collingwood. Yes, there are times when he looks woeful with the bat, but he's done more for us in pressure situations than probably any of our other players arguably.

If he has a disaster series in South Africa then I may reassess but I think he will come good over there.

Collingwood will still be having throwbacks from Edgbaston where he flounced the SAF attack.


He'll find his feet, as I doubt KP will start the tour.

England tend to write off players in their early 30s a little too quickly when they have a bad run of form. That along with our reluctance to pick young players is the reason why there are so few English names up there on the all-time top runscorers and wicket takers lists!

Where will Collingwood fit in when Pietersen comes back though? I think KP will be fit for the South African tour, and they can't drop Trott after his debut. Cook is struggling like Collingwood, but he's 8 years younger and he's also the test vice captain these days.

Henry wrote:Where will Collingwood fit in when Pietersen comes back though? I think KP will be fit for the South African tour, and they can't drop Trott after his debut. Cook is struggling like Collingwood, but he's 8 years younger and he's also the test vice captain these days.

Well, Cook's a separate debate as he and Strauss are the only two openers in the setup, so if he's replaced it will have to be with a newcomer, unless we stick someone random up to open like the Aussies did with TAYne POCson.

The question is, do we stick with the 5-man attack and trust someone like Broad to bat 7, or go to six specialist batsmen - that approach may save Colly for a while at least. Then there's the number 3 question, I suspect Bell will start off there but it's an ongoing problem. So a lot of questions over the batting line-up, only Strauss and KP (if fit) are 100% certainties.

Ian Bell will have to step aside.

JAMFOOW from Trev to ensure Collingwood wins the JAMODI for the Poms

Don't forget Cardiff. No Colly, no Ashes. You could say the same for Monty of course, but playing the latter for his batting is pushing a bit.

Got lucky.