Paul Collingwood says he is “delighted to be involved” as his appointment as England’s permanent assistant edges closer. Ex-England international Collingwood worked closely with former head coach Trevor Bayliss, who left his role after the Ashes defeat this summer, over the past four years. The 43-year-old, who is regarded as one of the best fielders to have graced the game, is now set to sign a deal to become permanent assistant to Chris Silverwood, who was named as the new head coach. Collingwood, who made 300 appearances for his country before continuing as Durham captain until the end of the 2018 season, is a hugely respected figure in the sport and he is looking forward to staying involved with the international set-up. “It’s nice not having to invoice and to get on the payroll!” he joked ahead of England’s series-levelling win over New Zealand in Napier this morning. “I’m delighted to be involved. “The leadership of the playing group have built this really good culture and I guess it could have been damaged if they added someone from the outside with new ideas. “This is something they’ve built over a long period, this isn’t something they’ve just done overnight, and that’s very powerful.”
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