Paul Collingwood Century Sees England Home
November 23, 2009 by Alex Homer
Paul Collingwood marked his record-breaking 171st One Day International with an unbeaten fifth ODI hundred, a diving catch and 6-0-24-2 as England beat South Africa in the second match of the series on Sunday.
As he overtook Alec Stewart to become England most-capped ODI performer, Collingwood showed why he is much more than a ‘bits and pieces’ all-rounder.
Constant improvement in part evidenced by his athleticism in the field; in part by his new, higher pick-up earmarks Collingwood as a potentially world class cricketer.
But his uncertainty outside off when out of form – coupled with his inglorious moniker as the man ‘to make the most of his talents’ makes Collingwood, at 33, a batsman looking over his shoulder as the next selection bandwagon rolls into town.
That given, the Durham man’s ability to size up a situation and take calculated risks gives him, in macho terms, massive stones. Using his feet to muscle boundaries over leg to ease pressure and nurdling in between, it is little wonder he is the new number four.
Chasing down the Proteas 250-9, Captain Andrew Strauss went early, getting a leading edge off Charl Langeveldt on 16 which was caught by AB de Villiers running in at point.
Kevin Pietersen soon followed; bowled playing across the line off Albie Morkel on 4 after a chorus of boos from Centurion’s crowd welcomed him to the crease.
Collingwood joined Jonathan Trott, opening after Joe Denly’s limited impression on tour, to rally and did so productively too, in a 162-run stand that took the tourists to the brink of victory.
Trott followed his seven overs for 21, medium pace in tandem with Collingwood’s cutters, with a measured 87. Fatigue probably denied Trott his century as he clipped a Langeveldt knuckle ball too close to Hashim Amla alone in the deep.
The in-form Eoin Morgan joined Collingwood and eased the requisite 45, with 27 off 18 balls, his timing remarkable given the slowness of the pitch.
Grassed Catches
Hashim Amla (57) and Alviro Petersen (64) provided the main substance in South Africa’s first innings though the target would have been less if not for grassed catches.
Strauss shelled three, two of which Petersen, but it did not cost the tourists as Collingwood removed Amla, finally caught by Strauss, and Tim Bresnan castled Petersen.
Albie Morkel’s wicket gave Collingwood the dual accolade of becoming the first Englishman to 100 wickets and 4,000 runs in ODIs and, despite Mark Boucher’s best efforts to add late runs with 30, 250 was always get-able.
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[...] series opened with a washout at Johannesburg, before Paul Collingwood – in his record 171st appearance – saw England to a seven-wicket victory, a margin [...]