Cricket:Paul Collingwood is to quit test cricket after the fifth Ashes encounter this summer, the England batsman said this morning, going out on a high after helping to retain the famous urn in Australia for the first time in 24 years.
The 34-year-old will continue as captain of England's world champion Twenty20 team and in the one-day team, which will contest the World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh starting next month.
His decision to step down is sure to open the door for Dubliner Eoin Morgan to stake a claim in England’s test team in the future. Morgan has waited patiently in the wings during this series with many feeling he deserved a place in the starting line-up ahead of a misfiring Collingwood.
"In many ways it's a sad moment, it many ways it's the perfect moment," Collingwood said after England moved to the brink of a first Ashes series triumph Australia since 1986-87 in the early hours of this morning. "This is what I've been playing the game of cricket for is to be in a position like this against Australia, in Australia. I've fought hard and given it my all."
Averaging just 15.54 over his last 10 tests and 13.83 in the ongoing Ashes series, the popular right-hander said it was time to give younger players a chance.
"This England team will progress without me and get better and better," he added. “There’s probably going to be another ginger on his way in, to be honest — Eoin Morgan’s probably got a good chance. But there’s a lot of good players out there.”
England are now on the brink of not just retaining, but winning the Ashes after dominating the fourth day with both bat and ball. The tourists racked up a record 644 for a first-innings lead of 364 before James Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett wreaked havoc among the shell-shocked Australians and reduced them to 213 for seven in their second innings.
Australia, batting in what now looks a forlorn attempt to save themselves from the humiliation of a third innings defeat in the series, had Steve Smith (24) and Peter Siddle (17) at the crease but still trailed by 151 runs going into the final day.
"It was a fantastic feeling being out there today," wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who made 118 runs and took four catches, said afterwards. "To get them seven down and in a pretty good position to win tomorrow ... it's pretty hard to beat.”
England had already ensured they would retain the Ashes by taking a 2-1 lead in the series in Melbourne last week and just needed just a draw at the Sydney Cricket Ground to seal the series triumph.
Although fine swing bowling was responsible for most of the Australian wickets, the hosts contributed the first with the farcical run out of Shane Watson for 38. Watson, who had already run out fellow openers Simon Katich and Phillip Hughes this series, was left stranded at the wrong end when Hughes declined a second run.
"It's just a horrendous situation to be involved in three run outs ... it's just not good enough," said Watson, who conceded that the series was now gone. "Unfortunately we've been totally outplayed again ... there's no doubt that we've let ourselves down, but there's no doubt as well that English have played unbelievably well."