Talk of retirement not on radar as Collingwood eyes Cup success

The 34-year-old is only three matches away from becoming the first Englishman to play in 200 one-day internationals.

But for him, the only one that counts is England’s next fixture – their final Group B match against West Indies, which they almost certainly need to win to avoid another early World Cup exit.

England have never won this competition in nine previous attempts, stretching back 36 years, and are in danger of leaving before the knockout stages for the fourth successive time.

A surprise victory for Holland against Bangladesh in Chittagong could yet change that uncomfortable equation.

But for Collingwood, it is already all about that decisive match in Chennai on Thursday.

It will be a major regret for him if England fail to do themselves justice in what, if still far from the end of his ODI career, is sure to be his final World Cup.

On a day when it was suggested captain Andrew Strauss may be about to quit ODIs after this current campaign – a move understood to be highly unlikely – Collingwood insisted he is looking no more than four days into the future.

“You put the whole thing together, and we’re a formidable team. We want to do that against the West Indies,” he said.

England have found themselves in an awkward spot thanks to a highly eventful but equally inconsistent campaign so far, in which they have beaten South Africa and tied with tournament favourites India yet also lost to the supposed lesser lights of Ireland and Bangladesh.

For Collingwood, the whole narrative is reminiscent of last spring’s ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean – where he led his country to their first ever International Cricket Council trophy.

“I see things developing very much how the Twenty20 did last year in the West Indies,” he said.

“We scraped through the group stages, but once we did we really put our performances together and went on to win it.

“I hope there is a good omen there.”

England’s problem has been marrying the skills of each of the three disciplines of batting, bowling and fielding.

More often than not, one of the above has been off colour and has let them down.

“We really need to focus on getting this complete game,” added Collingwood, who is no longer sure of his place as a regular after a worrying lack of batting form for much of this winter.

“If we do we will be very hard to beat for any team. We really have to look at the positives and focus on our strengths.”

As for his own future, Collingwood admits it will be a regret if he cannot look back one day and say he was involved in a successful World Cup campaign. He knows nonetheless that the best way to do something about that is not to let the mind wander to subjects he can address much later.

“I’ve had a few chances at a World Cup; some only get one,” he said.

“Yes, a World Cup win is something you’d absolutely love to have in your career.

“But I’m not even thinking that way. We’ve got too much to think about here.

“We’ve got to beat the West Indies.”

Collingwood acknowledges England have improvements to make, especially after Friday’s shock defeat against Bangladesh.

But he points out too that they just need one short burst of good form to complete their Ashes-winning winter with more glory.

“There aren’t many times in your career where you can say if you win four games on the trot you can win a World Cup,” he added.

“If we put everything together in one package we will be a huge force and very, very hard to beat.”

England have been responsible for a string of exciting finishes in a tournament badly needing them to draw attention away from several inevitably one-sided encounters between the world’s best and other countries from international cricket’s second division.

Collingwood and his colleagues have been invited many times to cite the fatigue of such an arduous recent schedule for their lack of consistency here.

They have been careful to steer clear of agreement, but Collingwood at least is thankful that this is the last time the Ashes and World Cup will be held in the same winter.

“I’m sure these games have been great to watch back home; every one has been very, very close,” he said.

“It’s not ideal having two huge series or tournaments together.

“In many ways, you wait for these things – then having these two together in one year, it’s like having two Olympics in the same winter.

“The schedule is getting changed – which is better for the future.

“But we can’t make that as an excuse. We’re focused on knowing if we win those four games we win the World Cup.”

England took a break from training yesterday after yesterday’s two flights from Bangladesh, and will rest again today. West Indies, who are hoping destructive opening batsman Chris Gayle will be available against England after his abdominal injury, practised at the MA Chidambaram Stadium yesterday afternoon.