Former English all-rounder Paul Collingwood has decided to pull the curtains off from all forms of competitive cricket after Durham’s first-class match against Middlesex. He has been playing for Durham since 1995 and has been their integral part in a career, which has lasted for 23 years. In Division two of the County Championship, Collingwood has scored 252 runs in nine matches.
He could play only three matches in the One Day tournament having scored 19 runs in three contests. The veteran also plied his trade in the T20 Cup in which he scored 257 runs in 12 matches with one half-century to his name. The veteran cricketer mentioned the decision as an emotional one and also expressed his privilege of playing for both his national team and Durham.
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As quoted in durhamccc.co.uk, talking about his retirement, Collingwood said, “After much thought and deliberation, I have decided to announce my retirement from cricket at the end of the current season. I knew this day would eventually come but it hasn’t made it any easier – although it’s an emotional decision, I know that the time is right and I’m comfortable knowing that I have given every last ounce of energy to the sport.”
He further added, “I have achieved so much with both Durham and England; far more than I ever imagined and I feel extremely privileged to have had such a long and rewarding career. It has been an honor to represent Durham County Cricket Club for the last 23 years and I would like to thank the staff, coaches, teammates, and members for their tremendous support and for making my career so enjoyable.”
Collingwood made his international debut in an ODI against Bangladesh in Birmingham. A couple of years later, he hanged his boots from Test cricket as well. In 2011, he decided to bid goodbye to Test cricket, but the same year also marked his last appearance in international cricket as well. He amassed almost 10,000 runs for England and moreover, he was more than a handy bowler and a superlative fielder as well.
