Andrew Strauss offers support to struggling Paul Collingwood
English captain Andrew Strauss has offered his support to struggling middle-order batsman Paul Collingwood, who was left out of the team for the first ODI against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 that the tourists lost by 6 wickets, at the Melbourne Cricket
Ground.
Strauss feels that the struggling batsman is good enough to make a comeback at any stage; hence he remains pivotal to his team’s chances both in the on-going series as well as the World Cup set to start in the sub-continent next month.
At the same time Strauss conceded that his lack of form was a big worry for the team management and the think tank had decided that he needed some time off the game.
"It is a bit of a form thing," Strauss said. "We feel that he's been struggling with the bat for a while now. The best way for him to come back is to spend a bit of time out of the side and refresh his mind. He's obviously a very important
part of our one-day setup and will be going forward to the World Cup, but he's not in great nick at the moment. It's tough on him but it would have been tough on someone else to be left out as well."
The right handed Collingwood has retired from Test cricket, after he endured a wretched Ashes series making a mere 83 runs in the five Tests at 13.83. He decided to quit the longest format of the game a day before the series was captured
at Sydeny Cricket Ground claiming that at the age of 34 he felt that he was no longer suitable to deliver at the toughest format of the game.
Strauss meanwhile is keen on seeing Collingwood back at his best in the ODI series, the length of the contest which includes 7 matches means that he has ample opportunity of having a decent run whenever his turn comes.
"He's not going to change his game, he's going to play the same way. But sometimes you need a clear mind, and you don't want to be thinking too much about the dismissals you've had recently, you just want to be able to go out and see the
ball and hit the ball."
One aspect of the Melbourne defeat pleased Strauss though, that aspect was the return to form in the ODI arena of Kevin Pietersen who was left out of the team for the five matches series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, that was narrowly won by the English
team. KP scored 73 runs helping the tourists amass a total of 294 which was overhauled by the Aussies courtesy a Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 special.
The next few games are vital for England as they finalize their plans for the World Cup, the English team is placed in Group B and would be playing their pool matches in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
The team for the tournament is set to be announced in a day or two, which might take the gloss off the current contest especially for the players who fail to make the World Cup cut.
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