Collingwood on the front foot

Paul Collingwood gets used to facing the media as England one-day captain on Friday

Paul Collingwood has promised a positive and aggressive style as he tries to revive England’s one-day fortunes.

The Durham all-rounder was unveiled as England’s new one-day captain on Friday afternoon following Michael Vaughan’s decision to concentrate on the Test side.

Collingwood’s tenure begins with two NatWest international Twenty20 matches and three one-day internationals in the NatWest Series against West Indies starting next week.

The 29-year-old said: “We have played our best one-day cricket when we have been aggressive and tried to take the attack to the opposition.

“I will be allowing the players to express themselves, that is when we play our best.

“I’m not talking about going out there from ball one and trying to whack the ball all over the place.

“I think we will have to play to our strengths and hopefully we will approach it a bit more positively than in the past.”

Collingwood accepts he has had limited captaincy experience but feels after 121 appearances he is well equipped for the challenge.

Collingwood and the NatWest Series trophy that England and West Indies will battle over

“It is going to be interesting,” he said. “I have got to learn the ropes as I go along.

“I have got more than 100 caps experience in the one-day game and hopefully that will put me in good stead for what is going to come ahead.”

Vaughan has not been included in Collingwood’s first squad to allow the new captain room to assert his authority.

Collingwood will then have to return to the ranks for the summer’s second npower Test series against India but he insists that will not be a problem.

He added: “He has obviously been a very successful England captain and he’ll be getting plenty of phone calls - but I will approach it in my own style.

“I think we are in a very nice position where Michael Vaughan is a close friend. We will support each other 100% and want each other to do well in our jobs.”

Being offered the captaincy caps a remarkable week for Collingwood in which he starred with a century as England beat West Indies on his home ground at the Riverside in the fourth npower Test.

He then followed that by helping Durham reach the first major final in their history with victory over Essex in the Friends Provident Trophy on Wednesday.

He added: “As you can probably tell from the smile on my face it is just an amazing feeling.

“It is a great honour to lead out the England one-day side and since I was told yesterday (Thursday) I have had this big smile on my face. I can’t wait to get into it.

“It’s Roy of the Rovers stuff. To have a home Test match, score a century, knock the winning runs off, the captaincy and Durham getting to the final at Lord’s is a dream come true.

“It just can’t get any better - unless Sunderland make a major signing!”