Colly strives for Ashes momentum

Paul Collingwood is intent on helping England's Ashes hopes later this summer by making history and lifting the World Twenty20 trophy in the next few weeks.

No England side has ever won a major international one-day tournament but, with convincing victories in Test and one-day series against West Indies leading into this event and knowledge of home conditions, captain Collingwood is in upbeat mood.

Collingwood is convinced the more successful they are over the next few weeks, the more it will lift spirits for the Ashes challenge.

"I think this is a one-off, three-week tournament and that's the way we're approaching it but, if we go all the way and win it, it's certainly going to give us some major confidence," said Collingwood.

Kevin Pietersen is set to play in England's two World Twenty20 warm-ups this week after overcoming an Achilles injury

"The Ashes is something completely different, something we've been building up to for a long time now and whatever happens in the next three weeks shouldn't affect how we approach that.

"But a lot of that momentum comes from results. What we have now is a really strong team ethos and it's not just myself who will have to drive that, the experienced members of the team will have to drive that as well and filter that team culture through to the new guys and make it a strong unit."

England build up for the tournament with warm-up matches against Scotland at Trent Bridge tomorrow and against West Indies at Lord's on Wednesday before opening proceedings against Holland at Lord's on Friday.

England expect Kevin Pietersen to be fit enough to play in all of their matches - including the two warm-up games - after making tentative progress in his recovery from an Achilles problem.

Pietersen did not take part in the fitness drills before training at Loughborough yesterday but batted and fielded and Collingwood is confident of his full participation in the tournament.

"We haven't finalised it 100% but KP will play a major part in all the games I would have thought," added Collingwood. "He's raring to go, he's had a few weeks off and he wants to get out in the middle."