Paul Collingwood has called on England to "go hard" at Australia in the NatWest Series in a bid to recreate the spirit of 2005. Collingwood was a bystander for four of the five Ashes Tests in that memorable summer but played an integral part in the limited-overs programme that preceded and set the tone for the Test series. In the first meeting of the tour, a Twenty20 international at the Rose Bowl in Hampshire, he bludgeoned 46 off 26 balls and picked up two wickets as England drew first blood in a 100-run victory.
The Durham all-rounder was also to the fore as England tied the subsequent Natwest Series with the tourists, scoring 53 in the final. The full-blooded fashion in which the one-day side attacked opponents universally accepted as the best in the world was widely credited with setting the tone for the Test successes. Now, with another Ashes series starting in Australia in November, Collingwood wants to lay down a similar marker this time.
"We all remember that Twenty20 game at Hampshire where we kept nipping them out," said Collingwood, ahead of tomorrow's opening one-day international at the same ground. "I always remember the aggression we showed with the ball, Darren Gough coming in to bowl on a hat-trick ball and bowling a bouncer at Andrew Symonds. "That was a bit of a benchmark as to how we wanted to attack Australia. "Gough was coming in on a hat-trick and knew he would not get him out but just wanted to show that aggression.
"We never bowled to break their fingers but we were very aggressive. You've got to go hard at them. We've learned that over the last five or six years." Two men who look ready to take Collingwood's advice to heart are Craig Kieswetter and Andrew Strauss, the openers. The pair, who put on 121 in 15 overs, played for the first time together in Saturday's seven-wicket win over Scotland. Gavin Hamilton, who resigned as Scotland captain for work reasons at the end of the match, was left suitably impressed by England's new-look opening pair.
"I've seen Craig Kieswetter quite a bit and he just epitomises the way these boys are playing their cricket now," said Hamilton. "He hits a clean ball, he backs himself and this is the epitome of new era for English cricket." * PA