Paul Collingwood is hoping England can make the most of having home advantage in the ICC World Twenty20.
Bopara believes knowledge of English conditions could be key for hosts
Skipper Paul Collingwood is hoping England can make the most of having home advantage in the ICC World Twenty20.
The Durham all-rounder will be back in charge for the duration of the tournament having previously relinquished the one-day captaincy last summer.
Andrew Strauss' decision not to be considered for selection gives Collingwood another crack at leading England to glory in Twenty20 cricket.
Having led his country in their failed campaign in South Africa two years ago, the 33-year-old is hoping playing in familiar conditions can make all the difference in 2009.
Good tournament
"It's exciting," he told
Sky Sports News. "It's something I'm looking forward to and hopefully we do well and have a good tournament.
"We all know that I gave up the captaincy after a year in the one-dayers last year but this is a three-week period that's going to be thick and fast - that's what Twenty20 is all about.
"We obviously know the conditions in England and hopefully we can adapt to them and get the right formula."
England team-mate Ravi Bopara also believes that having the benefit of inside knowledge could be crucial in their bid to claim silverware.
The Essex batsman goes into the event in fine form but, while admitting he is full of confidence, is refusing to get too carried away by his performances.
The right-hander, 24, hit back-to-back centuries in the Test series against the West Indies and also played a lead role in the NatWest Series that followed.
Butterflies
"I'm hoping that England will do well," Bopara said. "We know the conditions better than anyone else and for myself, I feel good.
"But I'm not letting that confidence spill over. Every time I go to the crease I have those butterflies in my stomach because I want to do well.
"I'm feeling very confident and I know if I get a bad ball I have every chance of putting it away."
England step up their preparations for the Twenty20 event with warm-up games against Scotland and the West Indies, both of which are live on
Sky Sports.
Collingwood and his troops then kick off the tournament against Holland at Lord's on June 5 before playing Pakistan two days later at the same venue.
