Cricket: Collingwood had to sit out England matches after his body 'shut down'

Published on Saturday 19 September 2009 19:46

ENGLAND all-rounder Paul Collingwood has revealed his body felt like it was "slowly shutting down" before sitting out the past three one-day internationals against Australia.

The 33-year-old had not missed a match of England's heavy summer campaign, which began way back in June with the two-Test series against West Indies, until he was ordered by England's medical team to rest after the third ODI at the Rose Bowl. Collingwood admitted at one point during that match he had felt like he might not be able to get up after falling in the field as a host of "niggles" started to take their toll.

He now is set to return from a ten-day break for today's Sunday final match of the series at his home ground at Chester-le-Street and admits he is glad for his brief spell out. "There were a few niggles that could have got me into a lot of trouble if I continued playing," he admitted.

"My left knee was a concern, as well as the right Achilles and the left adductor. There were a few areas that were building up all the time. There was one point where I fell on the floor in the field at Hampshire where I felt as though I wasn't going to get up. There were areas that were slowly shutting down across my body, so hopefully this week I've been able to get them going again."

James Anderson was also told to take time out after Southampton, the seamer sat out two games before returning to take four wickets at Trent Bridge on Thursday night, and Collingwood said England could look to rest players more regularly.

"I think in the future there will be more rotations," he said. "We haven't really gone down that path in the past." It was the medical staff's decision, they came up to me and said I was looking jaded."

In Collingwood's absence England's one-day woes have deepened and they are on the brink of a 7-0 series loss heading into today's game at Riverside.