England's Collingwood tipped for Tests: Fletcher by AFP

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Event:

England in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 5th November 2005

 

All-rounder Paul Collingwood could play a useful role against Pakistan but batsman Ian Bell's place was under review, England coach Duncan Fletcher said Saturday.

 

"Colly at this stage can play a useful role for us. He is slightly unlucky not to have played a few more Tests. He has improved a lot over the last year," Fletcher told reporters.

 

"The Test team is shaping up all right but the only area of concern is going in with two spinners and three seamers. In that case Collingwood is to bat at five to give us a better balance," Fletcher said.

 

England are likely to field their Test XI against Pakistan A in their second warm-up match from Sunday, ahead of the first Test against Pakistan starting at Multan from November 12.

 

"Colly is determined to play Tests and should not to be singled out as a one-day player," Fletcher said of Collingwood, who played only one of five Tests during England's Ashes win in September.

 

"He faced a lot of criticism that as a bowler he was clocking 79 miles an hour. Now he is getting up to 84 to 85 miles an hour which is quite a useful pace of bowling."

 

Fletcher said batsman Ian Bell was the one whose place needs a review.

 

"Bell would be the one we are having a look at and see what role he can play," he said.

 

But Fletcher had high praise for all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and pacer Steve Harmison.

 

"They just got off the plane 48 hours ago and had a gentle run-in. They did what was asked of them, and looked in pretty good nick and it's encouraging," he added.

 

Flintoff, who played a key role in England's first Ashes win for 18 years, and Harmison joined the squad early Thursday after having a week off following their stint with the World XI in the Super Test in Australia last month.

 

England's coach hailed the spirit and the will-to-work among the team members. "I was speaking to Michael Vaughan the other day and agree that we have been the hardest working side, as hard as Bangladesh. That's why I gave them Friday off as we have been going flat out now for seven or eight days," he said.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)