Colly laments Lord's low

But Twenty20 captain insists England are ready for Cardiff game

Last updated: 4th September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Colly laments Lord's low

Collingwood: Saddened by allegations

Sunday at the Test match, it's fair to say it was one of the lowest points I've got as a cricketer.

Paul Collingwood.
Quotes of the week

SKY SPORTS ON SKY

There's more live football on Sky Sports than ever before, including the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, England away Euro 2012 qualifiers and La Liga. With four live Sky Sports channels, as well as Sky Sports News, you'll never miss a moment on Sky. Click here for more.

Related links

News

Teams

Players

Also see

Paul Collingwood admits he is at a loss to name a worse moment during his career than the spot-fixing allegations facing Pakistan.

The England Twenty20 captain reflected on "one of the lowest points " of his career in a week in which three Pakistan cricketers have come under investigation after being accused of deliberately bowling no-balls at Lord's to defraud illegal bookmakers.

Test captain Salman Butt, plus bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir have been charged under the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption code for their actions in the fourth Test against England.

The trio, who are provisionally suspended after reports in the News of the World connecting them with the scam, were released without charge after being interviewed as part of a separate police enquiry and all three have denied any wrongdoing.

Collingwood, who is preparing his side for Sunday's international with Pakistan in Cardiff, told Sky Sports News: "There was an air of sadness around the ground.

Overshadowed

"Sunday at the Test match, it's fair to say it was one of the lowest points I've got as a cricketer.

"On the pitch there and in sensing the atmosphere around the ground. It wasn't a very nice atmosphere to have the allegations around.

"You want cricket to be remembered for the right reasons, Stuart Broad and Jonathan Trott's partnership - for that to be overshadowed by allegations like this... it was a sad place to be on Sunday.

"It was a difficult day, but as the week's gone on decisions have been made and we can now focus on the cricket in hand come tomorrow."

England - minus Kevin Pietersen - are ready to return to the middle, according to Collingwood.

He added: "It's been a busy week, but from our point of view and in my point of view as Twenty20 captain, I've got to focus the guys on the job in hand tomorrow.

"They're very much 100% prepared to get on with the job in hand and play against Pakistan.

"The guys are looking forward to getting on with the cricket and hopefully winning the game."