Johannesburg: England’s middle order mainstay, Paul Collingwood, who played a crucial role in making sure that England takes the field in the final test against South Africa on Thursday with a 1-0 lead, said on Tuesday that a lot of people might find his brand of cricket boring but he loves to “annoy” the opposition.

The solid middle order batsman has been difficult to dismiss in the ongoing series against South Africa. He scored 50 and 26 not out in the first test at Centurion, 91 in an innings victory at Durban and 19 & 40 at Cape Town, with the 40 in the second innings coming of 188 balls helping the tourists draw the game. In fact, all his innings throughout the series have been less about the number of runs he has scored and more about the time that he has spent on the crease, frustrating the Proteas, and helping England save two matches out of the three.

“I might bore a few people but it’s a job I enjoy and I love to annoy the opposition,” Collingwood told reporters. “I’ve always been a fighter, ever since growing up with my brother in my early teens. I will always go out there and fight. This whole team has shown that resilience. Obviously you need flair and genius at times but in Test cricket resilience is so important. My innings out here have been very special. Centurion was good and in Cape Town I always had the belief we could do it.”

Collingwood said his resilient innings of 40 in the second innings of the third Test, which eventually helped England hold on to a battling draw, was worth a century to him and England. “It was such a big game for us. It’s hard to measure these innings, they’re not about runs, they’re about the time you spend in the middle,” he added. “The attitude you show to the other players, the balls you face. I think those innings are worth a hundred and those innings give me more pleasure than some hundreds.”

England has escaped defeat in two matches of the series. They finished the first and third matches with their last pair at the wicket, the first time that has happened twice in the same series in test cricket.

Tagged with: England, Johannesburg, Paul Collingwood, South Africa

Related News Headlines

• South Africa level series with innings victory
• Steyn, Morkel bowl England out for 180
• Pietersen doubtful for tour opener
• After De Villiers, Collingwood uncertain for Daredevils
• England vs. South Africa: A neck and neck affair
• Oz, England and SA players told to play in IPL at their own risk
• Smith’s century puts South Africa in command
• England defies South Africa a victory, again!
• Cook, Collingwood put England in front
• Defiant England hold on to a draw

Cricketain Latest

• ODI fixture: India vs England 2011
• CLT20 revised Schedule
• Issues with Indo-Pak series
• England takes pride in whitewash
• England toy with India bowling
• ENG vs IND 4th test, day 1, STUMPS
• IND vs ENG 3rd test, day 2, STUMPS
• England dominated India again
• Boycott: India played like Bangladesh
• Afridi wants Pak President to intervene