paul collingwood

Born: 26.05.1976
County: Durham
Tests: 20
Role: Middle-order batsman
Bat: Right-hand
Bowl: Right-arm medium
Bat Average: 42.94
Bowl Average: 265.00

Paul Collingwood has gone about establishing himself as a Test cricketer so quietly and carefully, away from the glare of publicity around his more illustrious team-mates, it appears to have happened overnight.

But the likeable Durham all-rounder has had to fight hard for his place in the longer form of the game as he sought to shrug off the unwanted epithet of 'one-day specialist'.

Collingwood's outstanding fielding, useful medium-pacers - he has England's best-ever one-day bowling figures of six for 33 - and canny batting have long made him a fixture for England in the shorter form of the game.

But it is only recently he has been able to establish himself in the Test side after winning a couple of caps here and there, and being selected as the spare batsman for being a 'good tourist', whatever that means. Perhaps he has a good camera.

He has been arguably England's most consistent batsman over the last 12 months, dragging his Test average above 40, the benchmark for top batsmen.

With a place to be found for Flintoff, Collingwood appears to be fighting it out with Ian Bell for the final spot in England's top six.

He lacks the power of a Flintoff or a Pietersen, or the style of Strauss and Bell, but he can play shots and is a fine player of spin bowling who sells his wicket dearly.

His bowling is largely ineffective at Test level - a solitary wicket at an average well over 200 is testament to that - but the improvement in his batting means he has undeniably earned his place.

For so long a bits-and-pieces cricketer, Collingwood is starting to look the part as a Test batsmen. Runs in Australia will confirm his status.