Collingwood: 'This is where the hard work starts'

Your Test debut all happened in a bit of a hurry - what exactly happened?
I was training in the morning as if I was going to be 12th man, and then Vaughany gave me a message that I might start. This was about 45 minutes before play, and I had no idea that Nasser was ill. I went back to the dressing-room to try and relax, and then it was confirmed I would play 15 minutes later. It was a massive shock and I was a bundle of nerves. But in a way it was a good thing it happened like this, as at least I got a good night's sleep thinking I was only going to be carrying the drinks again.

How did you feel it went?
It was fantastic to be involved in such a great game. Galle is a fortress for Sri Lanka, and to get a draw there after losing the toss was a great achievement. On a personal note, I was disappointed with my effort in the first innings, but was very pleased after my second innings. I was in the zone batting against Murali, and I really enjoyed the battle. As Vaughany told us before the series, you need a plan when playing against Murali. You can't just go out and hope everything's going to be ok.

Now you've caused a selection problem for the next Test between you and Nasser Hussain. Are you expecting to play?
I'm not sure at the moment. Nasser will definitely come back in at No. 4, but there may be a position for me further down the order. I haven't been told yet, but I've shown the captain and coach what I can do. Obviously I'll be disappointed if I am dropped, but at least I'm learning all the time.

You're an established member of the one-day team, but have only recently broken through into the Test side. Did that frustrate you?
A bit, yes. I've never liked the one-day tag I've had. I've always wanted to play Test cricket - it's the biggest challenge. I'm ambitious and I want to test myself as much as possible, and I want to play as much for England as possible.

What do you see your role in the team as?
I believe I can be a specialist batsman. I like to bat at No. 4 and know I can do a job there. I would like to bowl a bit more, but there'll be more opportunity for that the more Tests I play in. I also think I give a lot in the field as well. Fielding's a big part of my game. It's sometimes difficult to keep upbeat on a long hot day in the field, but I bring a lot of energy to the side. I like to think of myself as doing what Jonty Rhodes did for South Africa.

You must have been given a lot of confidence when you were given a central contract?
Yeah, that was fantastic news, especially after I was out injured for four months. That was a frustrating time as I had been close to making my Test debut against Australia at Perth in the winter, and it wasn't much fun missing out on most of the summer. The central contract has given me some security, but I still need to push and challenge myself to be the best I can. This is where the hard work begins.

You are often likened to Graham Thorpe in your batting style. Is that a fair reflection?
I take that as a compliment. Thorpey's one of the best batsman England have ever had, and if I am half as successful as he's been, then I'll be happy. We have similar styles of play. We both like to come in at No. 4, bat throughout the innings, and run the ball around. But I feel where we differ is that I can hit the ball more at the back-end of the innings. Even though I don't that often, I can slog if I have to, it's definitely one of the things in my armoury.

The matches so far have been played in a better spirit than on England's last tour of Sri Lanka. Is that something you talked about beforehand?
Not really. We will be aggressive if we need to be. We have a good spirit in the side and we have shown that we can scrap it out if we have to. We've been getting on well with them off the pitch as well, but I don't mind if things get a bit hairy out there - it makes you focus even more.

Are you enjoying the tour so far?
To be honest, Bangladesh was a hard trip. Two Asian tours is very difficult and we are away from home for a long time. The spirit in the squad is superb, though, and the draw in the first Test really drew everyone together even more. There wasn't much to do in Bangladesh, but Sri Lanka has been paradise in comparison. We've been playing golf and been having a good laugh.

Did you enjoy the Rugby World Cup final?
A few of the lads are big rugby fans, whereas I prefer football. It was great to watch England do well, though. All the lads were together and there was a lot of pride and passion in the room when we won. It makes you want to be a part of England's success. Hopefully it can brush off on us.

Looking back to the cricket World Cup, Nasser Hussain recently said he felt let down by the ICC. Do you agree?
When I look back at the tournament, there's a sour taste in my mouth. I'm not going to come out with some big statement and blame the authorities, we just had to deal with the situation and get on with it.

What's been the highlight of your career so far?
There have been a few. My hundred against Sri Lanka at Perth last year proved a few points to some people. Then my innings against Pakistan in the World Cup at Cape Town was a great feeling under such big pressure. But, as it's always been my ambition to play Test cricket, my debut was a special moment. I felt very proud and no-one can take that away from me.

What are your future ambitions?
To play as much Test and one-day cricket as possible. This Test side is a very difficult one to break into, but that's what I want to do. Apart from that, winning an Ashes series and winning a World Cup is every Englishman's dream, and I'm no different. There's a lot of work that needs to be done, but we're improving all the time and closing the gap on Australia.

And what are your plans for Christmas?
I'm going to have a break for three weeks, have a few beers and enjoy myself. Then it's back to business to prepare for the West Indies tour.