Collingwood unfazed by security issues for lucrative Pakistan trip
Paul Collingwood admits that playing for a World XI in Pakistan next month is an attractive proposition and insists he is not concerned over security issues in the country.
Former England coach Andy Flower asked Collingwood if he would be interested in being the sole English representative on a tour that could be an important step towards reintroducing international cricket to the country.
The all-rounder’s participation has yet to be formally confirmed, but he stands to earn up to £100,000 from the venture, and with Durham not featuring in that week’s County Championship fixtures, the schedule has been kind.
“The thing that would interest me is, at 41 years old, the opportunity to play in a Twenty20 international in front of a big crowd – I think that would float anybody’s boat,” Collingwood said. “The money would be a good thing of course, helping Pakistan would be a good thing. The tag of a World XI at 41 years old – I’d be quite proud of that, if I was to get in the team.”
Collingwood was a member of the last England squad to tour Pakistan in 2005, in the months after their seminal Ashes triumph on home soil. Play was stopped for 10 minutes during the second Test in Faisalabad, after a gas cylinder in a drinks dispenser exploded near the boundary edge – an incident that put many on edge.
Only Afghanistan and Zimbabwe have toured the country since a terrorist attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus
in 2009, and the International Cricket Council hopes the World XI’S visit will help allay security fears.
Collingwood and England also toured
India in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, and the visitors received presidential security throughout.
“The security firms people employ are very important and you’ve got to have a lot of trust in them,” said England’s record one-day international cap holder.
“Some people worry because you need that level of security. Others say ‘well, I feel as safe as houses’ because you have that kind of security. Depends what kind of opinion you’ve got. From my experience as an England cricketer going back to India after the Mumbai attacks, it actually felt as safe as any time to go back in with the level of security we had. It wasn’t a very interesting tour because you’re virtually on lockdown. But in terms of safety, it was 100 per cent fine.”
There were reports that the 41-year-old had agreed a one-year extension to his Durham contract with a view to retirement in 2018. However, Collingwood revealed he has yet to put pen to paper.
Durham started this season in Division Two with a 48-point deduction after the ECB provided a £3.8million aid package to rescue them from financial trouble. The county are now in a stable position, and Collingwood has had a productive white-ball season, becoming the oldest man to score a Twenty20 hundred, a 60-ball 108 against Worcestershire.
He said: “Everyone says you’re a long time retired and I think it would be silly to give up when I still have a lot of life left to push on and play professional cricket.
“There’s also the temptation to go out on a high playing really well. There’s never any fairy tales. Certainly in my life there haven’t been any fairy tales in cricket. All I want is Durham to be in a strong position.”
Collingwood will not be short of career opportunities once he hangs up his pads, and will play a coaching role under Trevor Bayliss during England’s Ashes tour this winter. Though ‘specialist’ coaches focused on one facet of the game are in vogue, Collingwood, naturally for an all-rounder, is looking to keep his options open.
The Sunderland supporter said: “I’ll be fielding coach for the Ashes. For the one-dayers straight after, I’m actually not sure which specific role they’ve got for us, if any.”