Collingwood fears Sydney Test might be his last five-day appearance
England’s middle-order batsman Paul Collingwood, who has been struggling for runs in the latest episode of the Ashes rivalry which is in progress in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, has conceded that the ongoing Ashes finale in Sydney could be the last Test match of his career.
"But on a personal level, this is a big week for me in Sydney. I am at the crossroads and what happens in the final Test may well determine what direction I go in," Collingwood said.
The 34-year-old right-handed batsman admitted on Monday that it would be quite difficult for him to make to a Test side again if he failed to score in the Sydney Test, which England needs to at least draw to win an Ashes on Australian grounds after 24 years.
Collingwood has scored only 70 runs at an average of 14 from five innings in the past four Ashes Tests.
Collingwood expressed disappointment over his form so far in the series, saying that his form would remain unacceptable although the side has won the series. He said that being a batsman, it is his job to score runs and acknowledged that his below par performance
in the series is most likely to affect his future in the Test cricket.
"My form during this series and most recently my latest failure in the fourth Test in Melbourne means the subject of my Test future was bound to be raised sooner or later," said the English batsman.
The 5 feet 11 inches tall http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Durham-c782 batsman has played 67 Test matches in his seven years long Test career compiling a tally of 4246 runs at an average exceeding 40. He said that he still has a lot to fight for and he feels himself as fit as he has ever been.
Collingwood further added that he is enjoying playing the five-day cricket and has no plans of giving it up. Though he did add:
“...by the end of this Test, I will know more myself and be better able to judge what the general feeling is in terms of where I am as a Test player and the contribution I can still make to the England team in future and what is the best way forward."
Collingwood, who has scored 20 fifties and 10 centuries, said that going in to the Ashes finale is his utmost desire, leading the side to a 3-1 series win by adding another Test century to his account. But at the same time he did opine that if a player at
an age of 34 is not scoring runs, he does not deserve a place to play anymore.
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