Adelaide return brings out best in Collingwood

PAUL COLLINGWOOD was relieved that familiar surroundings helped him start to do his job again for England yesterday.

A return to the scene of his Test match double-hundred brought out some of the best in the middle-order man, who fell just short of three figures this time but nonetheless top-scored in England's 288-8 declared against South Australia.

Collingwood (94) shared a fifth-wicket stand of 131 with the increasingly impressive Ian Bell (61) on day one of the tourists' second Ashes warm-up match, at the Adelaide Oval.

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It was a welcome return to form following Collingwood's unproductive end to last season.

After South Australia had finished the day wicketless in nine overs, the hosts reaching 26, he said: "I knew it was only one innings away. Thankfully it was today.

"It would have been nice to go on and get three figures, but I would have taken that at the start of the day.

"It's been frustrating, because that is our job – we have to go out there and score runs.

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"It's been a while since I've made a big contribution, certainly in the Test match arena."

Collingwood has joined Kevin Pietersen, Bell, captain Andrew Strauss and No 8 Stuart Broad as those with a half-century at least under their belt after four days of their Ashes tour.

He added: "I want to go into these Test matches with 100 per cent confidence. I have to score a few runs in these warm-up games to be able to do that.

"I was delighted with the way I started the innings today. I thought I left pretty well when I first went in, and then managed to get a few shots away."

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His previous success at the ground gave him handy self-belief at the start of his innings, Collingwood confirmed.

But he has never claimed his 206 in the second defeat of England's 2006/07 5-0 Ashes drubbing as one of his great achievements, because it will forever be associated with the team's failure.

"When you've got good memories that obviously helps, with the feelgood factor before you go out.

"I've spent a little bit of time out in the middle there, and feel a little bit at home on that wicket."

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As for that career-best score from four years ago, he is proud of having defied a group of world-class bowlers – including Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath – but will always regret his effort came to nought. "I could take confidence from playing against such a good attack and scoring runs.

"When you come up against an attack like that and have a bit of success from a personal point of view, it obviously does give you big confidence."

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