With Collingwood and Pietersen batting together at a crucial time in the current match, I'm going to tempt fate by making a point that I was going to make after this Test. Pietersen and Collingwood started to develop a good relationship in the middle over the 2006 season and in Australia at the start of 2007. So what did Peter Moores do? He asked him to bat 6 instead of 5.It was the wrong thing to do - quite apart from these stats that I've burbled about before - as rather than showing Collingwood that he was a key batsman, it gave the impression that he was there as a bit-part player....mostly for his batting, but also for his bowling and fielding. They are important parts of Collingwood's game (even considering his two drops in this match), but he should have been told that he was one of our top batsman and trusted at 5.
Of course, the key reason he is under so much pressure is his lack of form, but I don't think Peter Moores has helped much, or anyone else who was involved in demoting him from 5 to 6. As a big Collingwood supporter, I hope he comes through this Test - if anyone has the balls to come through this in the England side, then it's him, but the odds are against him given an excellent bowling attack to face and his current form. I hope Pietersen can also play his part to help him through and get a good partnership going after tea.
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