England’s fighting recovery to peg a game back in the National Bank One-Day International series with New Zealand drew the plaudits of the British press today
Lynn McConnell21-Feb-2002England’s fighting recovery to peg a game back in the National Bank One-Day International series with New Zealand drew the plaudits of the British press today.Paul Collingwood’s effort in taking four wickets for 38 most captured the imagination.A sampling of the opinions follows:The Daily Telegraph: “When Paul Collingwood made his England debut against Pakistan last summer, many observers classified his medium-paced bowling under ‘cafeteria’ or, in other words, ‘help yourself’.”But while Collingwood’s little seamers may have served up a banquet for the Pakistan batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq in June, he certainly spoiled New Zealand’s appetite yesterday, taking four for 38 to maintain England’s interest in this series.”Collingwood’s decisive spell began when New Zealand were 128 for three, well-positioned to overhaul England’s painstaking total of 244 for five. Stephen Fleming and Lou Vincent were cruising along nicely in a half-century stand but, when Vincent drove a gentle out-swinger to backward point, a clatter of wickets helped the tourists ease home by 43 runs.”While New Zealand is known as the land of the long white cloud, it must also rate as the spiritual home of the trundling seamer. Wickets like yesterday’s toffee-coloured strip turn a lack of pace into a positive advantage, which may explain why the national one-day team used to base their attack around three bowlers nicknamed Dibbly, Dobbly and Wobbly.”Yesterday, though, Collingwood did more than just float the ball into the blockhole. He found prodigious swing in both directions, finding an excellent late in-ducker to pin Chris Harris in front. “I was surprised to see it doing so much when I came on,” he said afterwards, “but it’s certainly good news when it’s swinging at my pace.”The Guardian: “How transient can be success or failure in one-day cricket. How fickle the nature of the game. Two matches down in a five-match series and playing like dogs, England had been subjected to the sort of derision in New Zealand that usually greets them across the Tasman. The New Zealanders were rampant, it was said – and, indeed, they were playing superbly. Bring on Bangladesh. They will give England a decent game.”Well so much for form. England turned it on its head at McLean Park last night, overwhelming the Black Caps by 43 runs to keep the series alive and shut one or two rather loud mouths. England have won four of their past eight matches, New Zealand only two. Who then is playing more consistently?”The Times: “Just in time, England have caught up with the pace being set by their opponents. They kept their one-day series with New Zealand alive by means of a greatly improved all-round performance in this contented little city where the spirit of F. Scott Fitzgerald seems to linger over the art deco houses in the humid air of Marine Parade.”A few streets away at McLean Park the spectators were a good deal less sophisticated than the Great Gatsby and his friends but they had a happy evening in the way that small populations do when a big event comes to town. Happily for the series, if not for the New Zealand team and their supporters, the peculiar arts of one-day cricket were more decorously displayed on this occasion by England.”Resolute innings by their three best one-day batsmen, Nick Knight, Marcus Trescothick and Graham Thorpe, plus a fine spell of medium-paced swing bowling by Paul Collingwood, contributed to a hard-fought but ultimately satisfying win despite Stephen Fleming’s determined effort in response.”The Independent: “On Paul Collingwood’s arrival in New Zealand there was ugly gossip that customs officers took one look at his disembarkation card and laughed when they saw what was on the line marked for occupation. In the land of Chris Cairns they knew an all-rounder when they saw one.”Since last summer, when England first selected him, Collingwood has laboured under the unfortunate cricketing label. He had provided evidence of being an all-round cricketer in the sense that Les Dawson was an all-round entertainer. Collingwood bowled, Dawson sang, but neither of them got the notes in the right order.”Until yesterday, that is, in the case of Collingwood. He turned up at McLean Park under pressure for his place in the side, the batting having not gone too well lately either. In eight overs of slow medium pace – but, crucially, slow medium pace which swung – he took 4 for 38 and England won the third one-day international in the National Bank Series by 43 runs.”England won more comfortably than they might have expected. Their total of 244 after being put in was certainly adequate, but that did not make it unattainable. The side batting second had won seven of the last eight matches at the ground.”The Sun: “When skipper Nasser Hussain demanded a win, Collingwood was the man who swung it.”He also wobbled it, curved it and swerved it. The Kiwis simply had no answer to the movement he gained with his medium-pacers.”And, following laser surgery on his eyes in December, he was able to savour his triumph with perfect vision.”Collingwood revealed: “In Zimbabwe last October, I was struggling with my contact lenses because of the heat and dust.”‘So, before leaving for the one-dayers in India, I had the laser treatment. It was a complete success and I no longer need to wear contacts and I have 20-20 vision.'”Durham’s Collingwood was one of the England players under the microscope as the management assess the likely squad for next year’s World Cup.”But, being mainly a batsman, even he could not have expected to make such a persuasive case with the ball. He had THREE wickets in his previous 15 one-day internationals, now he has seven.”