Collingwood given timely lift with new runs record

The 34-year-old reports too that several Australians were having a little trouble coming to terms with his achievement when he passed the lofty landmark during his innings of 48 as England beat Ricky Ponting's team by four wickets for the second time in three days.

He and they, though, need only consent to one of cricket's favourite sayings – 'Look in the book' – to check that he does now have 4,693 one-day international runs to his name, 16 more than any other Englishman.

It is not that surprising, of course, given Collingwood went past Stewart as England's most capped player last year.

He is justifiably proud, and could not resist a chuckle at the SWALEC Stadium when opposition fielders were also taken unawares by the announcement of his feat.

It was an eminent Australian opponent after all, who found it hard to credit Collingwood's bit-part contribution to England's shock 2005 Ashes series victory had earned him an MBE. Even Shane Warne cannot argue with the Durham batsman's latest accolades, though.

"It was a huge surprise to me when they announced it on the tannoy – and I think there were quite a few Australians out there who were even more surprised than me," said Collingwood.

"It put a smile on my face. To know you have scored more runs in one-day cricket than any other Englishman is a lovely feeling."

Collingwood fell just short of a 31st ODI half-century, by way of celebration – but will doubtless take a 2-0 NatWest Series lead over Australia, with three to play, as acceptable recompense.

Thursday's was a timely innings after a slow start to the summer for Collingwood, unable to play in the two-Test series against Bangladesh because of ongoing treatment for an old shoulder injury.

"I've felt a bit rusty so far this summer," said the ICC World Twenty20-winning captain.

"I went into the match at Cardiff thinking 'I need to start playing well again, I need a bit of confidence'.

"Then they announced I'd broken Stewie's record and I thought to myself 'why do you worry so much?'

"Alec Stewart was a great player, and sometimes you have to pinch yourself to believe that you're playing for England – let alone overtaking someone like him.

"It's all a bit surreal at times. I was thinking 'surely not me?' I knew I had overtaken Stewie's number of appearances – but his runs? Are you kidding me?"

England's 10th successive victory, over different opponents across all three formats, means they are one more away from having proved superior to Australia in their most recent meetings in five-day, one-day and 20-over cricket.

Their chance to do that is scheduled for tomorrow at Old Trafford. "This is the most exciting one-day side I've played in, without a doubt," said Collingwood. "In the past, we've gelled at certain times but never maintained that consistently, and I've never thought we'd be a great one-day side for a prolonged period.

"But now this team is covering all the bases, and the most exciting thing is that I believe we can get better and better. We have good thinkers – perfecting our plans and our fielding has gone to a new level.

"We're confident every time we go out and play Australia. It's not arrogance. We are now confident we can beat anyone.

"After they hammered us 6-1 last year we all thought we had to do something about it. We are a much better team now.

"But we want to be the best one-day side in the world and we want to win the World Cup next year. If you look at Australia's record over the last year or so they still have that air of invincibility, because they haven't lost many games. But we are the better side at the moment."

Part of the reason for that may lie in Australia's injury troubles – and they have two more to contend with. Ryan Harris's sore groin prevented him taking the field in Cardiff, and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz has had to leave the tour because of a foot problem. Fast bowler Shaun Tait is the latest replacement.