Ashes: Paul Collingwood in form after England struggle
Tour match, Adelaide (stumps, day one of three) England 288-8d v South Australia 26-0 Match scorecard
Collingwood's battling credentials came to the fore again
Paul Collingwood nailed down his Ashes starting spot with an important innings of 94 after England had struggled initially against South Australia.
On day one of the second warm-up match in Adelaide, England were 95-4 before Collingwood and Ian Bell (61) added 131 in 32 overs either side of tea.
England declared at 288-8 before South Australia reached 26-0 in reply.
Beanpole paceman Peter George, a fringe contender for Ashes selection, had dismissed England's top three cheaply.
He first struck with a slightly fortuitous dismissal, Andrew Strauss coming down to earth following his century in Perth when he tried to glance a delivery down the leg-side from George only to offer a catch for diving wicketkeeper Graham Manou.
With Strauss gone for four, Jonathan Trott should have followed on 11 but was put down by Dan Harris at slip off fast bowler Ben Edmondson.
Instead, Trott departed in the very next over when attempting a pull which he badly mishit, to give George an easy catch off his own bowling.
Alastair Cook, in need of time in the middle, got as far as lunch before perishing in the second over after the interval for 32.
Having battled hard for two hours, he failed to move his feet and flapped an edge behind - a familiar failing of late.
Kevin Pietersen, 14 not out at lunch, was next to depart for 33 when he hooked Edmondson to deep square leg. Aiden Blizzard juggled the catch on the boundary rope and nearly lost his balance before completing the dismissal.
England had selected the same team which opened the tour with a victory over Western Australia - an indication that coach Andy Flower is keen to settle his plans for the first Test.
Among his first-choice batsmen are Collingwood and Bell, who each played in the 5-0 thrashing England received four years ago.
Durham veteran Collingwood, on the ground where he made a double-hundred in 2006-07 Ashes, easily outpaced Bell even if he did not look as solid as his younger partner, and reached tea on 73 not out.
Collingwood was beginning to show signs of real fluency when slicing seamer Jake Haberfield to gully.
Bell went six overs later, missing a straight one from Edmondson, and when England declared Matt Prior was unbeaten on 22 after spinner Aaron O'Brien had dismissed Stuart Broad (1) and Graeme Swann (25 from 23 balls).
England had nine overs of bowling before stumps were drawn, and the host team were wicketless in putting on 26, but Collingwood spoiled his day by putting down a routine chance at third slip to reprieve James Smith on 12 off James Anderson.
Collingwood, who did not play quite as solidly as Bell, admitted the top six still had "a long way to go" - with Cook and Trott still looking for their first half-centuries in Australia after three first-class innings each.
"We are progressing into a lot of confidence among the batters," Collingwood told reporters.
"We need obviously those guys who get a start to go on and make the big ones, that is going to be the difference.
"You need the guys who get in to make the big hundreds."
When some of their batters got in, you saw some of their class. I wouldn't say they struggled
Michael Klinger South Australia captain
Addressing his own form, Collingwood admitted he had not been in the best of form for England this year and was glad to get his tour up and running.
"It's been a while since I've made a big contribution, certainly in the Test match arena. It's been frustrating, because that is our job - we have to go out there and score runs.
"I want to go into these Test matches with 100% confidence. I have to score a few runs in these warm-up games to be able to do that. I was delighted with the way I started the innings today. I thought I left the ball pretty well when I first went in, and then managed to get a few shots away."
Home captain Michael Klinger was also impressed with Bell, Collingwood and Pietersen - and took issue with the suggestion England found it tough going.
He said: "When some of their batters got in, you saw some of their class. I wouldn't say they struggled."
Listen to the Ashes live on Test Match Special on BBC 5 live sports extra, Radio 4 LW and online (UK users only) - series starts 25 November 2010.Archive: Relive past Ashes series
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?