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England want winning start to new era

Paul Collingwood is focused on creating an England one-day team in his own image even if it means 11 ginger rottweilers chomping at opposition heels.

As England's sledger-in-chief, Collingwood has never taken a backward step when it comes to confrontation on a cricket field and he has no intention of putting himself on a leash just because he has become captain.

If anything the 31-year-old is straining to put his stamp on England's one-day side by breeding a pack of hounds who are ready to stand up and be counted in the shorter form of the game.

Collingwood is a fighter through and through, whether it is for a place in his own side or when he clashes with the opposition, and he reckons if England are to finally become a team to fear in one-dayers he needs 10 other fighters alongside him.

"I don't see any reason why I would want to change my personality out on the pitch," said Collingwood.

"You can still be feisty as captain. What you want out there is 11 leaders and that means when it gets feisty you've got 11 people all going at it and doing it together as a team.

"We'll not back off from anything and if a challenge comes along I know we've got the guys who can stand up to it.

"I can't see myself being intimidated out there, but what I will do is enjoy it and hopefully get the best out of the boys. We are trying to build an atmosphere in the dressing round where the boys can go out there and believe in themselves.

"A lot of it comes down to a positive intent throughout the match and that comes through all the disciplines. We have to hunt as a pack on the field."

Michael Vaughan will continue to take the calm and relaxed approach to captaincy with the Test team, but Collingwood is all about upping the energy levels with high-octane one-day and Twenty20 cricket in mind.

And he has warned his players their impressive start in training must be kept going throughout the upcoming matches or he won't be scared to bring his own version of the hair-dryer treatment into the dressing room. He added: "The attitude has been fantastic. We've got a great young side with the enthusiasm and energy you need for the one-day game.

"I won't initially bang the table and throw tea cups around, and hopefully that won't be needed for some time. But if that time came along and things needed to be said you've got to be strong enough to say it."

Collingwood also admitted he would have to be strong enough to fight one-day cricket's corner up against those who see it as Test cricket's annoying relative who keeps crashing the family party.

For years English cricket has shown contempt for the one-day format, thinking it is a slap and giggle behind the real game. And it is why England are the only major cricket nation never to have won a one-day tournament of any note.

The new one-day skipper is determined to change that and has vowed to stop the selectors from picking players purely as a buildup for the five-day game and allowing them to miss one-day matches if they need a break.

"We are going out there to win, not to bed new players in," insisted Collingwood. "There is no thought about bringing them in to see if they can bed in for the Test arena."

Jonathan Trott should be fit to make his England bow tonight, but Ian Bell's groin injury is likely to rule him out.

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