Positive Collingwood still has Boonie's words of wisdom ringing in ears

Paul Collingwood

THE one English cricketer Australia have kept quiet on the Ashes tour reckons he might finally be ready to make a noise Down Under.

In a lean summer, Australia could at least lay claim to having the wood on veteran all-rounder Paul Collingwood. But those days could be numbered judging by a buoyant Collingwood before the one-dayer in Brisbane on Sunday.

Collingwood was so out of form that he was picked as England's fifth bowler and banished to No.7 in the batting order for the one-day match in Adelaide on Wednesday.

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However, he sounded like a changed man after helping England to a drought-breaking 21-run win over Australia. He shared an influential seventh-wicket stand of 56 with Michael Yardy with a run-a-ball knock of 27 to push England towards 300.

He then added to Michael Clarke's woes by clean-bowling the Australian captain on his way to 1-22 off seven overs as the visitors turned the screws.

''Something like that can snap you back into form,'' Collingwood said in Brisbane yesterday. ''I remember listening to David Boon at [English county] Durham in 1998, and he said the game is 90 per cent mental and 10 per cent technique.

''I wasn't sure what he meant at the time but that was before my international career.

''I know now that the mindset you take out to the crease means a lot - hopefully I will be more at ease when I next get out to the middle.''

While a bit miffed to have been relegated to the unfamiliar No.7 position, Collingwood said it actually helped him work his way out of his funk.

''It is disappointing going down to No.7 but there were a lot of other guys in good form,'' he said. ''But it was probably a good situation for me [when he got to the crease]. I had to be positive. After getting myself set, I freed the arms.

''I was happy with my game. Well, it was good to get past 20 - I haven't done that in a while.''

Collingwood also appeared to be feeding off the renewed confidence in the England camp after they finally broke their one-day duck Down Under to make it 3-1 and keep the series alive heading to Brisbane.

''Confidence is a huge thing in sport,'' Collingwood said. ''Losing those first few couple of games, it can become a habit so it was good to break that.''