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England look to clinch series win

October 10, 2007 00:00:00


COLOMBO, Oct 9 (BBC): Paul Collingwood has set his sights on sealing a first one-day series triumph for England in Sri Lanka by winning Wednesday's fourth game in Colombo.
The captain was passed fit after a precautionary scan on his shoulder.
"It's nothing more than a niggle, and I can't wait for the game. I'm hitting the ball well and desperate to get on the park," Collingwood told BBC Sport.
"We're 2-1 up, have a chance to achieve something massive here and take the series home with us. It's exciting."
Collingwood hurt his right shoulder in the first match of the series, which they lost by 119 runs, but the tourists learned from that by winning the next two games on similarly slow pitches in Dambulla.
They will go into the fourth instalment at the Premadasa Stadium in good heart as they look to clinch their first one-day series success on the subcontinent since winning in Pakistan in 1986-87.
"The boys are really up for it," he added. "The boys who have been out on the park have done fantastically well and are all very keen to get out there.
"We're on the verge of it - and that's the key phrase. We haven't done anything yet, when we win more game we can turn around and say we've done something special.
"It's been great but we've got one more to win and I'm enjoying the buzz from boys and the excitement of winning that game. It will be a great achievement to take home."
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have injury problems of their own after seam bowler Farveez Maharoof suffered a back spasm during Sunday's game.
He is receiving treatment but the home side will not make a decision on his fitness until shortly before the start of the match.

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