Paul Collingwood confident form will return

10 April 2012

Despite enduring a forgettable tour of Australia with the bat, Paul Collingwood is confident his best form is not far away.

The veteran right-hander managed just 83 runs during the Ashes while in the following limited-overs series he has averaged a mere 12.5 so far.

It is a run of form that can be terminal to a career of someone in the twilight of their international days as Collingwood, who turns 35 in May, sensed when he retired from Test cricket following the Ashes.

That decision may have given him extra time in which to rediscover his form in the shorter formats and, with the World Cup now less than a month away, Collingwood is confident he will turn his fortunes around before then.

A brisk 27 in yesterday's 21-run win in Adelaide, when his arrival at number seven in the late overs allowed him to play with a freedom he has seldom displayed so far on tour, gave an indication that a form change could be imminent.

It was the first time Collingwood had passed 20 since the second Test in Adelaide almost two months ago to provide him with some long-awaited encouragement.

"I'm the first to admit that I haven't been in great form and that's my role in the side," he said after the team's arrival in Brisbane for the fifth one-day international on Sunday.

"I'm trying every possible way to get back into good nick. I know from past experience that getting back into a good run of form can be pretty immediate.

"Maybe after an innings like yesterday when I hit a couple out of the middle of the bat, it might just click.

"I tried to resort to my strengths, going to the leg-side, and thankfully it worked for a couple of shots. I was quite happy. I'm really confident it is just around the corner."

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