FIVE OF THE BEST: Paul Collingwood's best moments

After announcing his retirement from professional cricket, The Cricketer looks at Paul Collingwood's best moments for England and Durham in his illustrious career

^{Paul Collingwood has announced that he will retire from all forms of professional cricket at the end of the season}

England’s dependable man and Durham’s all-time great, Paul Collingwood was a star with bat, ball and in the field for his country.

He may never have been flashy, nor commanded too much space in newspaper columns, but Collingwood has embodied everything good that the game stands for.

Hard-working, sportsmanlike and firm-yet-fair, the 42-year-old brings to an end a superb career with the news of his retirement from professional cricket at the end of the season.

Here, The Cricketer assesses Collingwood’s finest moments for county and country.

World Twenty20 success

Captained England to World Twenty20 victory in the 2010 tournament

Perhaps what Collingwood’s England career will be most known for is England’s triumph, with the allrounder as captain, in the 2010 World T20: the country's first and only limited-overs tournament win.

Despite failing to fire with the bat, Collingwood’s captaincy was his real contribution. The allrounder created a harmonious dressing room with players encouraged to play their natural game freely, not dissimilar from the style of Trevor Bayliss and Eoin Morgan in England’s white-ball sides today.

After victory in the final over Australia, Collingwood ranked the tournament success as a feeling as good as regaining the 2009 Ashes.

^{Paul Collingwood masterminded England's World Twenty20 success in 2010}

Adelaide 2006

206 and 22 not out vs Australia, second Ashes Test, Brisbane, 2006

Not a game remembered with any great fondness by England cricket fans but one that showed Collingwood’s supreme ability nonetheless.

Sharing in a record-breaking 310-run stand with Kevin Pietersen, the Durham man serenely made his way to a best ever first-class score of 206, milking boundaries off Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee.

There was plenty of hostility, as well as skill, on show from the Australian bowlers but Collingwood withstood it all to help England post 551 for six declared in their first innings.

The less said about their second innings collapse the better as England were skittled for 129 all out. Collingwood was the lone survivor, scoring 22 not out in 198 minutes as he bravely held on while all around him capitulated.

^{Paul Collingwood enjoyed one of England's few highlights on their tour to Australia in 2006/07}

Resolute defence against Australia

74 vs Australia, first Ashes Test, Cardiff, 2009

The miracle of Cardiff, where James Anderson and Monty Panesar survived 69 balls to help England survive for an unlikely draw in the first Ashes Test in 2009 was largely built on the foundations of one Paul Collingwood and his resolute defence.

Batting for nearly six hours to make a painstaking 74, Collingwood soaked up everything that the Australians could throw at him as the tension seemed to take hold of everyone bar the Durham allrounder.

As he defended ball after ball, hope of an unlikely draw grew ever bigger and, despite fending a ball to gully to leave Anderson and Panesar to come to England’s aid, Collingwood’s contribution laid the foundations for an eventual series win over the old enemy.

2013 County Championship title win

Captained Durham to their third ever championship title in 2013

Collingwood’s captaincy again proved a masterstroke as Durham secured the County Championship in 2013 with a game to spare.

The allrounder’s 88 not out against Nottinghamshire was the final straw that secured the championship but it was Collingwood’s inspiration and man management that was really pivotal for the county.

He built a bond and created a calmness in a side full on talent, especially in the bowling department, that saw a confidence soar and the title head back to Durham for the third time in six years.

^{Durham's 2013 County Championship title win was spearheaded by Paul Collingwood's captaincy}

One knock to save his place

135 vs South Africa, third Test, Edgbaston, 2008

After being dropped for the second Test, and failing in the first innings of England’s third Test against South Africa in Birmingham, Collingwood was realistically staring down the barrel of being dropped, especially at a time when England’s middle-order batting reserves were so strong.

In his typical fighting fashion, Collingwood responded brilliantly to silence all his critics, scoring 135 as he helped England set the tourists a fourth innings target of 281 runs.

While he struggled to find any rhythm in the early stages of his innings, surviving on his wit more than anything else, Collingwood kept digging in until he eventually found the confidence to go up through the gears and make a substantial score that saved his England Test career.

TURBERVILL: So long Paul Collingwood: World Champion, master fielder, genuine good man