Colly ready for Bore War: "I love to annoy South Africans"

PAUL COLLINGWOOD is ready for the final battle of the Bore War. As England prepare for Thursday’s final Test against South Africa, Durham’s dogged Determinator grins: “I might bore a few people but it’s a job. And it’s a job I enjoy. And I love to annoy the opposition.”

And annoy them he has. England go into the last chance saloon at the Wanderers “Bull Ring” in Johannesburg knowing a draw will secure a shock 1-0 series triumph – largely thanks to Collingwood’s obdurate attitude at the crease. After twice helping England to last-wicket draws, he says: “We’re happy with where we are at the minute, but if we can get that draw or a win, that’d be magic for us.

“I’ve always been a fighter, ever since growing up with my brother in my early teens. I will always go out there and fight. This whole team has shown that resilience. Obviously you need flair and genius at times, but in Test cricket resilience is so important.

"Getting a draw when the other side are winning can be vital. It really hurts the opposition. And for me, staying out there for four hours and getting 40 can be better than a hundred.”

Collingwood, described by coach Andy Flower as “a typical British bulldog” after yet another match saving innings in Cape Town last week, has been central to England’s trio of last wicket stands – the first against Australia in Cardifff last summer, then twice against South Africa in the first and third Tests of this absorbing series.

I enjoyed a net with Collingwood last summer (see picture) and he remains the most approachable of the England players. And his resolve remains undimmed after three months on safari surviving record-breaking temperatures, numerous injuries and a wild Dale Steyn in Cape Town.

The most consistent of England’s batters – he got 50 and 26 not out to aid survival in Centurion, 91 in Durban’s innings triumph then 19 and 40 off 188 balls of stoic resistance in Cape Town – simply refuses to accept his body is struggling to cope with the endless strain of international cricket.

He has delayed the operation on his dislocated shoulder for eight years – “I can’t afford to take three months out” – and still needs the odd cortisone injection to clear things up. He has been having ice treatment on his back problems which have eased since early in the tour but he dislocated his left index finger warming up in Durban three weeks ago and was wearing two large strips of adhesive tape on his left inner thigh at nets yesterday.

But there he was today, netting like a madman. He got hit on that left finger by Graham Onions but shrugged it off and batted on. Then he bowled at full pace for an hour, beating the bat as many times as any of England’s quicker bowlers.

The British Bulldog? “Andy can describe me however he wishes,” grins Collingwood, “My innings out here have been very special. Centurion was good and in Cape Town, I always had the belief we could do it.

“It was such a big game for us. It’s hard to measure these innings. They’re not about runs, it’s about the time you spent in the middle. The attitude you show to the other players, the balls you face.

“I think those innings are worth a hundred, it may not come across that way. To get over the line we way we have done in those two games was special.

“Those innings give me more pleasure than some hundreds. I’m sure Ian Bell has discovered that. He scored elegantly for 140 in Durban but I’m sure when he came off in Cape Town with 78 after four hours, it was even better.

“He was under pressure a couple of games ago, to show that mental strength will mean a lot to him.

"This is a huge week for us. To win this series would mean so much.”

Collingwood survived being given out first ball in Cape Town, thanks to the new-fangled review system. He said: “It’s good for the game. It will improve the game in the future. But at time it can be frustrating with all the stoppages.”

If groundsman Chris Scott does what he’s been told and leaves a little grass on the No5 strip out here on Friday, Colly may just find himself bowling a real spell for the first time in this series when Stuart Broad, Onions and Jimmy Anderson tire.

Bowling at something close to full pace for the first time in weeks at nets this morning, he said: “I feel very comfortable, but my full pace is what you might call medium. Usually when there is a bit more in the wicket, the last person they’ll turn to is me! We’ve got the guys with the skill to swing it.

“When I get the ball we tend to be in a bit of strife, I hope I don’t get too much bowling here.”

Colly famously tends to be at the other end when Kevin Pietersen is playing his best cricket but with the South African-born batsman struggling, Collingwood insists: “KP scored nice runs in Centurion. I think we always look at KP and think he should be doing it every match. He’s sort of a genius, if he goes a couple of games without runs, the pressure comes on. I’m sure he will produce something in this game.”

And then we return to his favourite topic. Staying power. He says: “To have this kind of resilience when you’re under the pump is a great strength to have in a team. You need your flair, your bits of genius, but we’ve shown in the last six months, we’ve got it in the locker if we need it.

“And we’re finding more and more players who have that resilience in our team as this tour goes on – like Belly in Cape Town.

“South Africa have outplayed us quite a lot in the sessions but we’ve got that strength. It’s an important part of Test cricket to get a draw from a game you might lose. It takes a lot out of the opposition.

“We feel refreshed after Cape Town. Andy Flower and Andy Strauss have identified times when we can recharge the batteries. It’s important after two tough Tests. The last two days in training, we’ve shown a lot of energy. This week means a lot of us.

“It was nice to have a couple of days break but we have to come out and play. We can’t sit back and rely on this position. It’s a huge week for us. We want to go away winning the series.

“I’m just enjoying my game. But those situations, I really love.“

Tiger Woods: He's let his wife down, his family down (and his pants down)

THE Sun's front page splash today sums it up rather neatly. "I've let my wife down, I've let my family down (and he's let his trousers down)".

The Daily Mail, joining in the gleeful coverage of an icon's downfall, picture all three alleged holes in one: New York events planner Rachel Uchitel, 34 (who denies everything), Las Vegas cocktail waitress Jaimee Grubbs, 24 (who has a voicemail to back her story) and marketing manager Kalika Moquin, 27 (who says it's "not appropriate to comment").

So do we exult in the denouement of the world's top golfer now he's been exposed, less than a week after the mysterious 2.25am car crash outside his Florida home? Do we say "told you so" when he released a statement yesterday saying: "I regret those transgressions with all my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behaviour my family deserves"?

No, we should be saddened by it. Distressed when a role model falls so heavily from grace. Sympathetic about the fact that, when you are forced by your talent to live in the public eye, the pain is all the greater. And all the man wants to do is hit a golf ball a very, very long way towards a flag.

Sometimes the media gets blamed for the downfall of icons like Woods, the first sportsman to earn $1billion. On this occasion, it's hard to argue that. Nobody could have kept a lid on what was going on for long. And clearly, when wife Elin got wind of her husband's alleged indiscretions, she reacted and, despite Woods slamming the "malicious rumours", we are finally getting close to what really happened that morning. A Japanese television station have issued a virtual version of what they think happened, featuring Elin running along, smashing his windows. That may not be factual, but it's what people conjured up when they haven't got the truth.

Of course it was impossible for Tiger to come out immediately and admit to what was going on. Instead, he disappeared for 12 hours into the bowels of a local hospital, refused to see the police four times when he got home and was finally given a paltry slap on the wrist for his sins.

The real cost to Tiger? About £5,000 in damage to his Cadillac Escapade, £99 for "careless driving" and £2,000 to fix the fire hydrant he crashed into.

Then there's the facial injuries we still haven't seen... and this week's Tiger-sponsored US tour event will have to do without their star name amid promises to refund disappointed spectators.

And then we begin to move into the real high-cost areas. If Elin, mother of his two children, sues for divorce - and she appears to have every cause - it may just be the world's biggest ever settlement.

Then there are the sponsors. Gillette's discomfort has already been heavily publicised. Tiger, Thierry Henry and Roger Federer are all pictured together (above) in their latest campaign, now all three appear to be on the slide. Henry for his handball for France against Ireland, Federer for not making the final at the London Arena last week and Tiger for what he calls "personal sins".

Woods earns £6m a year from the razor makers, £12m from Nike, £12m from sports drink Gatorade, £5m from EA Sports video games, £3m from telephone providers AT&T, £3m from watch-makers Tag Heuer and £2m from General Mills. But the image they buy has been tarnished forever.

He will pay the price. And the stories will continue for weeks yet, with his reappearance set to reignite the whole situation. We have to ask: will he ever be the same again? Does he deserve all this? Will he be scarred for life, physically or psychologically?

That is our job, asking questions like that. But in truth the best sign off to this sorry tale belongs to Woods and what he said in his statement yesterday. Let's leave it there:

"Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. For the last week my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives.

"For me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family.

"I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves."

Tiger Woods "fine" says agent, hospital say he's in "good condition"

TIGER WOODS is "just fine" according to his agent Mark Steinberg as the mystery over his early morning car crash deepened. Early reports suggested the world's No1 golfer was seriously injured in an accident near his home in Isleworth, north of Tampa in Florida.

But both the mayor of the town, Gary Bruin, and Steinberg, vice-president of the International Management Group, have denied those reports, insisting Woods has been released from hospital with facial injuries after hitting a tree and a fire hydrant.

A statement from the Health Central Hospital in Ocoee said: "Tiger Woods was in a minor accident. He came in last night and was released today. He was in good condition."

The hospital would not say what injuries he had suffered amid rumours he checked in under a different name.

Nobody else was in the car but police say the incident was "not alcohol-related" - though one report suggested "charges are pending" and that "an investigation is pending".

Woods was driving his Cadillac SUV which apparently ricocheted off the fire hydrant into the tree. The airbags did not detonate, suggesting he was travelling at low speed according to Florida Today.

The accident happened at 2.25am local time this morning - and news of the incident took over 12 hours to emerge. Woods lives in Orange County with his wife, Swedish supermodel Elin Nordegren, 29, and their son and daughter - they met at the 2001 British Open.

Woods has won 93 tournaments including 14 “majors” and was the world’s highest-paid professional athlete last year, earning an estimated $110 (£66 million) from winnings and endorsements. He became sports first ever billionaire dollar earner earlier this year.