Collingwood defends shaky England

Collingwood scored a valiant but ultimately futile 93 on Monday

Paul Collingwood insists England are not a bad one-day side despite losing the first three games against India.

"Obviously it's not going the way we would like it to," Collingwood told BBC Radio Five Live.

"It's always going to look shaky if you're 3-0 down - people are going to start worrying and complaining.

"But we've got a good side, we are learning all the time and we have to progress," said the Durham all-rounder, who made 93 in Monday's game at Goa.

There has been concern for some time over the form of the one-day side compared to England's Test XI.

Collingwood said he thought part of the difference was down to the lack of a settled team.

The World Cup is coming up and I really don't think we're that far away England player Paul Collingwood

"The Test side has been successful over the past few years. We've had pretty much the same side and that's obviously helped," he said.

"The one-day side is missing a few players and with new players coming in it does disrupt the team now and then.

"We've lost important figures in the side - Ashley Giles, Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick - and they are very experienced, important figures.

"But we can't make that an excuse. The players that come in have to try and perform and they've got a chance to impress."

Collingwood insisted that despite the defeats the mood in the camp was upbeat.

"It's not all doom and gloom, we're not saying we're terrible or anything like that," he insisted.

"We're not actually that bad - if you remember we got to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 18 months ago.

"The World Cup is coming up and I really don't think we're that far away. We just have to lift the mental side of our game that extra 10%.

"OK, we are 3-0 down, but if we win the series 4-3 people will turn round and say 'what a good side that one-day side is'. That's how it goes sometimes."