Paul Collingwood.

Paul David Collingwood MBE (born 26 May 1976) is an English cricketer. He has been a regular member of the England Test side, was captain of the One Day International (ODI) team 2007–2008. He is also vice-captain of his county, Durham County Cricket Club.[Collingwood is a batting all-rounder, whose batting combines natural strokeplay with great tenacity. He also bowls reliable medium pace. Described as a "natural athlete", he is also regarded as one of the finest fielders of his timeusually fielding at backward point or in the slips, he has also deputised as wicket-keeper for England.His first class debut was in 1996, and he made his first appearance for England in One Day International cricket in 2001 and made his Test match debut in 2003. For two years he remained an occasional Test player, but after selection for the final Test of the 2005 Ashes, he secured a regular place. His 206 during the 2006–07 Ashes was the first double century by an England batsman in Australia for 78 years. A series of three consecutive match-winning performances by Collingwood at the end of the 2006–07 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia brought him enthusiastic approval in the British media. His "allround [sic] display of incredible nerve and tenacity" helped to secure the trophy for England.[8] In 2010 he led the England team to their first ICC Trophy, the 2010 World Twenty20. He is England's most capped ODI cricketer and leading ODI run scorer.[He announced his retirement from Test cricket in January 2011, during the 5th Test of the 2010–11 Ashes series.He finished on a high, becoming a three-times Ashes winner as England won a series in Australia for the first time in 24 years, with three innings victories contributing to a 3-1 win.Collingwood was born and brought up in Shotley Bridge, near Consett, County Durham by parents David and Janet, along with his elder brother Peter, and was educated at Blackfyne Comprehensive School, now known as Consett Community Sports College.Introduced to cricket "on the playing fields of Blackfyne Comprehensive School", Paul was able to "force his way into Shotley Bridge's Under–13s team at the age of just nine".As a teenager, his father, who still remains a member of the Shotley Bridge Cricket Club,persuaded him to give up football and concentrate on cricket.Collingwood still makes regular visits to his old cricket club, "...he is a brilliant role model for the kids and his success is an aspiration to follow...".He currently lives in Northumberland with wife Vicky, whom he married in February 2005 in Cape Town, South Africa, and their three daughters Shannon (born September 2006), Keira (born 24th February 2008),and Hannah Mae (born 9 February 2011).He is a fan of Sunderland AFC.His nicknames are Colly, Weed and Shep; the latter is an apparent homage to the famous Blue Peter Collie dog, Shep.Paul Collingwood signed for Durham, his local county side, in 1995, playing first in List A one-day cricket.When he first came to Durham's attention, Collingwood was regarded "as a bowler who batted a bit". According to coach Geoff Cook's 2006 assessment it was Collingwood's determination, rather than his talent, that shone through.Paul had talent... but I don't think he had any more [talent] than a number of lads who came through with him at the time...He had terrible luck with his back, he missed an awful lot of cricket, and a lesser character could well have decided to call it a day. To his credit, Paul came back and worked harder than he'd ever done before. He couldn't bowl as much at the start, so he did an awful lot more batting and, straight away, there were obvious signs of talent there. By the time he forced his way into the Under-19 team he was batting at the top of the order and the following year he was offered a professional contract.Collingwood made his first–class debut against Northamptonshire in 1996, at Durham's Riverside Ground. He made an immediate impression by taking the wicket of former England all-rounder David Capel with his first ball, and scoring 91 in his first innings. However, his early years as a first-class player were characterised by steady and relatively modest performances with bat and ball: in each season from 1996 to 2000, his batting average was between 20 and 30 and his bowling average was between 30 and 60.His breakthrough began in 2000, when he was voted Player of the Year by the Durham members, particularly for his one-day efforts.[His form varied following a back injury, but he hit his stride in 2001, when he excelled both in the county championship and in the one-day game.In the six English seasons from 2001, Collingwood has exceeded a batting average of 40 four times and achieved a bowling average of less than 40 on three occasions.Recognising his need to improve his all-round game Collingwood took himself off to Australia for their 2000-01 season where he played for the long-established Richmond Cricket Club in the tough Melbourne Premier League. At the end of the season Collingwood was awarded the prestigious Jack Ryder Medal for the best player in the league (an award he shared), and was the first - and so far only - Richmond player to ever receive it.Durham only achieved first-class status in 1992.In the 15 years since then, their best performances in the two league championships (the First-class County Championship and the List-A (One-Day) National League) both came in 2006 (finishing sixth and eighth respectively). Following in 2007 with the Friends Provident Trophy, beating Hampshire by 125 runs, Collingwood picking up 22 runs and bowling figures of 3/33.However, Collingwood's involvement was severely limited by his England commitments and he made no appearances at all in either competition.Collingwood made his first–class debut against Northamptonshire in 1996, at Durham's Riverside Ground. He made an immediate impression by taking the wicket of former England all-rounder David Capel with his first ball, and scoring 91 in his first innings. However, his early years as a first-class player were characterised by steady and relatively modest performances with bat and ball: in each season from 1996 to 2000, his batting average was between 20 and 30 and his bowling average was between 30 and 60.His breakthrough began in 2000, when he was voted Player of the Year by the Durham members, particularly for his one-day efforts.[His form varied following a back injury, but he hit his stride in 2001, when he excelled both in the county championship and in the one-day game.In the six English seasons from 2001, Collingwood has exceeded a batting average of 40 four times and achieved a bowling average of less than 40 on three occasions.Recognising his need to improve his all-round game Collingwood took himself off to Australia for their 2000-01 season where he played for the long-established Richmond Cricket Club in the tough Melbourne Premier League. At the end of the season Collingwood was awarded the prestigious Jack Ryder Medal for the best player in the league (an award he shared), and was the first - and so far only - Richmond player to ever receive it.Durham only achieved first-class status in 1992.In the 15 years since then, their best performances in the two league championships (the First-class County Championship and the List-A (One-Day) National League) both came in 2006 (finishing sixth and eighth respectively). Following in 2007 with the Friends Provident Trophy, beating Hampshire by 125 runs, Collingwood picking up 22 runs and bowling figures of 3/33.However, Collingwood's involvement was severely limited by his England commitments and he made no appearances at all in either competition.With England players free to participate in the second season of the Indian Premier League, Collingwood was signed by the Delhi Daredevils for $275,000 during their second player auction.In the 2011 auction, he was signed up by Rajasthan Royals for US$250,000.but could not take part in IPL4 due to a knee injury that he picked up during the World Cup.Collingwood made his first–class debut against Northamptonshire in 1996, at Durham's Riverside Ground. He made an immediate impression by taking the wicket of former England all-rounder David Capel with his first ball, and scoring 91 in his first innings. However, his early years as a first-class player were characterised by steady and relatively modest performances with bat and ball: in each season from 1996 to 2000, his batting average was between 20 and 30 and his bowling average was between 30 and 60.His breakthrough began in 2000, when he was voted Player of the Year by the Durham members, particularly for his one-day efforts.[His form varied following a back injury, but he hit his stride in 2001, when he excelled both in the county championship and in the one-day game.In the six English seasons from 2001, Collingwood has exceeded a batting average of 40 four times and achieved a bowling average of less than 40 on three occasions.Recognising his need to improve his all-round game Collingwood took himself off to Australia for their 2000-01 season where he played for the long-established Richmond Cricket Club in the tough Melbourne Premier League. At the end of the season Collingwood was awarded the prestigious Jack Ryder Medal for the best player in the league (an award he shared), and was the first - and so far only - Richmond player to ever receive it.Durham only achieved first-class status in 1992.In the 15 years since then, their best performances in the two league championships (the First-class County Championship and the List-A (One-Day) National League) both came in 2006 (finishing sixth and eighth respectively). Following in 2007 with the Friends Provident Trophy, beating Hampshire by 125 runs, Collingwood picking up 22 runs and bowling figures of 3/33.However, Collingwood's involvement was severely limited by his England commitments and he made no appearances at all in either competition.With England players free to participate in the second season of the Indian Premier League, Collingwood was signed by the Delhi Daredevils for $275,000 during their second player auction.In the 2011 auction, he was signed up by Rajasthan Royals for US$250,000.[] but could not take part in IPL4 due to a knee injury that he picked up during the World Cup.Collingwood's form for Durham in 2001 earned him a call-up to the England One Day International (ODI) squad, selected for the NatWest Series against Pakistan and Australia that summer,becoming the 162nd to play for England in One Day International (ODI) cricket.He was not particularly successful on his ODI debut in June 2001, scoring only two runs and taking no wickets against Pakistan at Edgbaston,[and doing poorly (20 runs in four innings and no wickets) in the rest of the series.[Despite this, the selectors showed confidence in him by choosing him for the 2001–02 one-day tour of Zimbabwe, where he took his first ODI wicket, that of Dion Ebrahim in the Third ODI at Harare Sports Club.He starred with the bat in the Fourth ODI at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, with a match-winning 77, and made an unbeaten 56 in the final ODI, also in Bulawayo, helping England secure a 5–0 whitewash.Collingwood made his first–class debut against Northamptonshire in 1996, at Durham's Riverside Ground. He made an immediate impression by taking the wicket of former England all-rounder David Capel with his first ball, and scoring 91 in his first innings. However, his early years as a first-class player were characterised by steady and relatively modest performances with bat and ball: in each season from 1996 to 2000, his batting average was between 20 and 30 and his bowling average was between 30 and 60.His breakthrough began in 2000, when he was voted Player of the Year by the Durham members, particularly for his one-day efforts.[His form varied following a back injury, but he hit his stride in 2001, when he excelled both in the county championship and in the one-day game.In the six English seasons from 2001, Collingwood has exceeded a batting average of 40 four times and achieved a bowling average of less than 40 on three occasions.Recognising his need to improve his all-round game Collingwood took himself off to Australia for their 2000-01 season where he played for the long-established Richmond Cricket Club in the tough Melbourne Premier League. At the end of the season Collingwood was awarded the prestigious Jack Ryder Medal for the best player in the league (an award he shared), and was the first - and so far only - Richmond player to ever receive it.Durham only achieved first-class status in 1992.In the 15 years since then, their best performances in the two league championships (the First-class County Championship and the List-A (One-Day) National League) both came in 2006 (finishing sixth and eighth respectively). Following in 2007 with the Friends Provident Trophy, beating Hampshire by 125 runs, Collingwood picking up 22 runs and bowling figures of 3/33.However, Collingwood's involvement was severely limited by his England commitments and he made no appearances at all in either competition.With England players free to participate in the second season of the Indian Premier League, Collingwood was signed by the Delhi Daredevils for $275,000 during their second player auction.In the 2011 auction, he was signed up by Rajasthan Royals for US$250,000.[] but could not take part in IPL4 due to a knee injury that he picked up during the World Cup.Collingwood's form for Durham in 2001 earned him a call-up to the England One Day International (ODI) squad, selected for the NatWest Series against Pakistan and Australia that summer,becoming the 162nd to play for England in One Day International (ODI) cricket.He was not particularly successful on his ODI debut in June 2001, scoring only two runs and taking no wickets against Pakistan at Edgbaston,[and doing poorly (20 runs in four innings and no wickets) in the rest of the series.[Despite this, the selectors showed confidence in him by choosing him for the 2001–02 one-day tour of Zimbabwe, where he took his first ODI wicket, that of Dion Ebrahim in the Third ODI at Harare Sports Club.He starred with the bat in the Fourth ODI at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, with a match-winning 77, and made an unbeaten 56 in the final ODI, also in Bulawayo, helping England secure a 5–0 whitewash.Collingwood played in all seven matches of the 2002 NatWest Series against India and Sri Lanka, ending on the losing side in the final to India.With the selection of pace bowler James Anderson for the Third Test, Collingwood was dropped.Although unable to establish a regular place in the 11–man team, his all–round ability and fielding strengths made him a regular on England's overseas Test tours as 12th Man.He retained his place in England's one-day side throughout the summer of 2004 despite a knee injury, and scored an unbeaten 79 in the second match of the NatWest Challenge against India at The Oval, with England winning the series 2–1.[ Collingwood was also England's second highest run-scorer in the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy, scoring 141 runs at an average of 70.5,[48] which included an unbeaten 80 in the opening game against Zimbabwe. He played in all 11 ODIs against Zimbabwe and South Africa,[and was then named in the England Development Squad in May 2005and the 14-man squad for the NatWest Series against Bangladesh and Australia and the NatWest International Twenty20 against Australia that summer.Collingwood made his first–class debut against Northamptonshire in 1996, at Durham's Riverside Ground. He made an immediate impression by taking the wicket of former England all-rounder David Capel with his first ball, and scoring 91 in his first innings. However, his early years as a first-class player were characterised by steady and relatively modest performances with bat and ball: in each season from 1996 to 2000, his batting average was between 20 and 30 and his bowling average was between 30 and 60.His breakthrough began in 2000, when he was voted Player of the Year by the Durham members, particularly for his one-day efforts.[His form varied following a back injury, but he hit his stride in 2001, when he excelled both in the county championship and in the one-day game.In the six English seasons from 2001, Collingwood has exceeded a batting average of 40 four times and achieved a bowling average of less than 40 on three occasions.Recognising his need to improve his all-round game Collingwood took himself off to Australia for their 2000-01 season where he played for the long-established Richmond Cricket Club in the tough Melbourne Premier League. At the end of the season Collingwood was awarded the prestigious Jack Ryder Medal for the best player in the league (an award he shared), and was the first - and so far only - Richmond player to ever receive it.Durham only achieved first-class status in 1992.In the 15 years since then, their best performances in the two league championships (the First-class County Championship and the List-A (One-Day) National League) both came in 2006 (finishing sixth and eighth respectively). Following in 2007 with the Friends Provident Trophy, beating Hampshire by 125 runs, Collingwood picking up 22 runs and bowling figures of 3/33.However, Collingwood's involvement was severely limited by his England commitments and he made no appearances at all in either competition.With England players free to participate in the second season of the Indian Premier League, Collingwood was signed by the Delhi Daredevils for $275,000 during their second player auction.In the 2011 auction, he was signed up by Rajasthan Royals for US$250,000.[] but could not take part in IPL4 due to a knee injury that he picked up during the World Cup.Collingwood's form for Durham in 2001 earned him a call-up to the England One Day International (ODI) squad, selected for the NatWest Series against Pakistan and Australia that summer,becoming the 162nd to play for England in One Day International (ODI) cricket.He was not particularly successful on his ODI debut in June 2001, scoring only two runs and taking no wickets against Pakistan at Edgbaston,[and doing poorly (20 runs in four innings and no wickets) in the rest of the series.[Despite this, the selectors showed confidence in him by choosing him for the 2001–02 one-day tour of Zimbabwe, where he took his first ODI wicket, that of Dion Ebrahim in the Third ODI at Harare Sports Club.He starred with the bat in the Fourth ODI at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, with a match-winning 77, and made an unbeaten 56 in the final ODI, also in Bulawayo, helping England secure a 5–0 whitewash.Collingwood played in all seven matches of the 2002 NatWest Series against India and Sri Lanka, ending on the losing side in the final to India.With the selection of pace bowler James Anderson for the Third Test, Collingwood was dropped.Although unable to establish a regular place in the 11–man team, his all–round ability and fielding strengths made him a regular on England's overseas Test tours as 12th Man.He retained his place in England's one-day side throughout the summer of 2004 despite a knee injury, and scored an unbeaten 79 in the second match of the NatWest Challenge against India at The Oval, with England winning the series 2–1.[ Collingwood was also England's second highest run-scorer in the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy, scoring 141 runs at an average of 70.5,[48] which included an unbeaten 80 in the opening game against Zimbabwe. He played in all 11 ODIs against Zimbabwe and South Africa,[and was then named in the England Development Squad in May 2005and the 14-man squad for the NatWest Series against Bangladesh and Australia and the NatWest International Twenty20 against Australia that summer.Collingwood deputised as England wicket-keeper for an injured Matt Prior in the second home Test against the West Indies in May 2009; he enjoyed the experience and was generally successful, including effecting a catch from an edge by Shivnarine Chanderpaul.Collingwood's form in the 2009 World Twenty20 tournament wasn't good: in five innings, managing just 63 runs. More important, however, was his form in the longest version of the game, in which he had attained something like a peak. Going into the 2009 Ashes, indeed, he was relishing his best-ever run in the Test side, having hoarded three centuries in his last twelve innings.In the first Test of the 2009 Ashes at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff, Collingwood scored 64 in the first innings as England totalled 435. On a flat wicket, however, this was put into context by the Australians, who amassed 674 for 6 declared, with four centurions; Collingwood bowled nine overs, and claimed the wicket of Brad Haddin caught at deep midwicket. In reply, England slid to 70 for 5 and seemed certain to succumb to an innings defeat. In response, Collingwood stayed at the crease for 5¾ hours (nearly the whole of the final day) and top-scored for England with 74 runs from 245 balls. He was ninth man out, edging Peter Siddle to gully, but final pair James Anderson and Monty Panesar blocked out the final 11½ overs of the match to secure an improbable draw.In the second Test at Lord's Collingwood succumbed to a loose first-innings dismissal, chipping part-time spinner Michael Clarke to mid-on for 16 (and earning the ire of his captain Andrew Strauss, who went on to score 161); England, poised at 302 for 3 before Collingwood's dismissal, subsided to 425 all out. Nonetheless, England's seamers bowled Australia out for 215, and in the second innings Collingwood scored a measured 54, acting as foil to the aggressive strokeplay of Matt Prior (their partnership adding 86 in twelve overs) and Andrew Flintoff (51 in eight overs). As Flintoff and Graeme Swann combined to bowl England to victory, Collingwood contributed two fine slip catches.

After Lord's, however, his form tailed away considerably: tormented by Australia's seam-bowling attack, his scores for the rest of the series were 13, 0 and 4, and 24 and 1, bringing his batting average for the five-match series down to 27.78. Collingwood's difficulties with the bat seemed to affect his usually high-class catching, and he dropped three chances of varying degrees of difficulty on the final day of the series at the Oval, though he did take a sharp catch to dismiss Mitchell Johnson for a duck off Steve Harmison as part of England's surge to a 197-run victory in the match, and a 2–1 victory in the series.

Against South Africa in November 2009, Collingwood surpassed Alec Stewart's record of 170 ODIs to become England's most capped player.
In early 2010, Collingwood led the England Twenty20 team to the 2010 World Twenty20 championship. Collingwood appeared in all seven games, struggling with the bat as he scored only 61 runs at 10.16, with the ball he only bowled one over for ten runs, however his prowess in the field continued - his four catches the joint highest with the wicket keeper, Craig Kieswetter, for the England team.[It was Collingwood's captaincy that was most praised, as he led England to their first ever ICC trophy, hitting the winning runs in their seven-wicket victory over Australia in the final.Collingwood was then rested for the home Test series against Bangladesh, however returned for the five-match ODI series against Australia in June. During the second match, he overtook Alec Stewart's record to become England's all-time leading runscorer in the format. Following poor batting performances in the 2010–11 Ashes series, he announced his retirement from Test cricket.