Colly excited by England’s Trophy squad
DURHAM CAPTAIN TIPPING MORGAN’S MEN FOR GLORY AND STOKES TO BE A STAR
PAUL Collingwood says England will be exciting to watch “win or lose” in the Champions Trophy and that all-rounder Ben Stokes has taken his game to a new level in the build-up to the competition.
The Three Lions kick off their campaign against Bangladesh at The Oval today as the bookmakers’ favourites to lift the trophy.
Collingwood, who has had short-term contracts coaching England’s limited-overs teams since 2014, thinks there is a good chance by June 18 he will no longer be the only captain to lead the country to a major global trophy.
“Either way, he is looking forward to watching.
“They are strong favourites,” says the captain of England’s 2010 World Twenty20-winning side. “It is a world tournament and we all know the performances over the last few years have taken the team to a new level. They are exciting times. “Tournament play is totally different to a series. “You are coming up against different opposition all the time and different challenges and there is that pressure if you lose a game you are out. “That is where this team can really move forward by still having the bravery to apply pressure to the opposition. “Sometimes when you get into highpressure situations you can go on to the conservative side but (captain) Eoin Morgan will keep driving into the team being brave and aggressive is the right way to go.
“It makes it an exciting team to watch, even when they lose.
“I don’t think we have ever had a one-day side which has gone into a Champions Trophy or a World Cup with such a serious, serious chance of winning. That is brilliant and exciting for English cricket.”
Collingwood has also had stints coaching Scotland and the United Arab Emirates and is being tipped in some quarters to be part of England’s coaching staff for all forms of the game during this winter’s tour of Australia.
England’s most-capped one-day international player believes Durham team-mate Stokes could be a key figure if England are able to manage his knee injury correctly.
Stokes missed Monday’s dead rubber with South Africa because of the problem and only sent down five overs in the three-match contest. Despite that, he was able to smash a series-winning century in Southampton.
Cockermouth-raised Stokes has for some time been regarded as one of the world’s best all-rounders but Collingwood thinks he has grown in stature since being named the player of the tournament at this year’s 20-over Indian Premier League.
“I think he’s gone to a new level, certainly in confidence,” said Collingwood, who played IPL cricket for Dehli Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals as well as making 197 ODI appearances.
“The pressure you are under to perform is huge, especially having a price tag like that on your shoulders. I think there is also a respect thing.
“In the past I have always watched when Ben comes on to bowl and international teams have always attacked him. It seems now to have gone the full circle and there is almost a respect for him.
“Everyone knew what he could do with the bat but to also knock off some totals and see the team home was crucial. For his bowling to develop the way it has was the real tick in the box.”
England have a serious, serious chance of winning. That is brilliant and exciting for English cricket. Paul Collingwood