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England batsman Paul Collingwood dismissed the anguish of narrowly missing out on a century in the first Ashes Test here on Sunday to revel in his team’s overdue gutsy fightback against Australia.

Collingwood, cruelly denied a century when he was stumped on 96, was at the heart of an England resurgence on day four at the Gabba that belied the Ashes holder’s meek surrender to a fired-up Australia in the first three days.

“Today was about fighting, about pride, a bit of passion,” he said. “Not just talking about it but going out there and showing it. Not just stonewalling but taking the game to the Australians, that is the way we need to play,” he added.

The 30-year-old Durham right-hander came agonisingly close to posting his third Test century but was stumped by Adam Gilchrist when he was stranded after jumping down the wicket to a beguiling Shane Warne delivery.

“Got done in the flight, didn’t I?” he smiled. “(Warne) just tossed it up and lured me down and I missed it. Enough said,” he added.

Collingwood was happier to focus on England’s rediscovered fighting qualities than dwell on his personal frustration. “Obviously I’m a little disappointed not to make the hundred, but if you look from the team’s point of view it was an important day for us,” he said.

“The first three days didn’t go as well as we would have liked and it was important we came out today and put up a fight, and we’ve certainly done that, playing some positive cricket,” he remarked.

While England face a seemingly impossible task to salvage anything from the first Test as they chase a mammoth 648-run target, Collingwood said Sunday’s performance would boost morale and help get the team’s Ashes defence on track.
Source:The News