Collingwood fit for Lord's opener

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Collingwood remains optimistic for Thursday

England all-rounder Paul Collingwood has declared himself fit for Thursday's first Test against New Zealand.

Collingwood, 31, had a pain-killing injection last Friday to treat a right shoulder problem after Durham's County Championship defeat by Lancashire.

But he told BBC Sport: "I'm excited to play, the shoulder is fine.

"I don't want to go into a Test match feeling 50%, I want to go in 100% - that was the reason for the injection and hopefully it makes me 100% fit."

Collingwood was due to take part in a net session at Lord's on Monday in a bid to prove his readiness for the first of three Tests against the Black Caps.

England's one-day captain had cortisone injections on the same shoulder prior to last winter's Test series in Sri Lanka and the one-day internationals in New Zealand.

"I've had these injections in the shoulder before and certainly two or three days later I could certainly do things at 100% and there's no reason I can't do that on Thursday," he said.

606: DEBATE My prediction (much as it pains me to say) is that England will come out on top at Lord's waikato_fc

Collingwood has played 33 Tests and been an ever present in the England side since the series in India two years ago.

He was part of the team that claimed a 2-1 victory in New Zealand earlier this year and believes England head into the return series as justified favourites.

"We've played some good cricket, some exceptional cricket at times and we've been indifferent at other times," he said.

"But generally we are a very good unit that is getting better and better. We're on our home turf and that gives us an advantage and it's a series that we're desperate to win."

England's only other injury concern was over wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose, who injured his neck before the final day of Warwickshire's championship match against Derbyshire, but the 25-year-old is confident he will have recovered in time to make his first home Test appearance.

A muscle in Ambrose's neck went into spasm while playing volleyball in the warm-up and he did not keep wicket during Derbyshire's second innings.

"It's come on well the last few days and I hope to hit the training park 100% tomorrow," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Ambrose hit 55 on his Test debut against New Zealand in March before contributing a priceless 102 in the second Test to help England level the series.

The Kiwis' visit is followed by a home series against South Africa and Ambrose, keen to hold down a position England have struggled to fill since the retirement of Alec Stewart, feels he is capable of scoring a century every series.

"That's certainly a feasible goal," he said. "Batting in the top seven or eight you've got the chance to score those sort of runs and in five-day cricket you're probably going to get the chance to bat twice.

"It's important to contribute in every series and with hard work I'll be looking to that."

Kevin Pietersen scored a crucial ton - his first in 11 innings' - to set up England's decisive third Test win in Napier and although he admits England start as favourites, the 27-year-old says Peter Moores' men will not be taking their opponents lightly.

"We are hot favourites but New Zealand are not a team to be underestimated," he said.

Throw like Paul Collingwood

"They've got a good leader and they've got guys who know what they are doing, so it's going to be a tough series, as it was in New Zealand.

"They don't feed into your strengths, they've got good plans and they carry them out well so there's no underestimating them.

"What's going to be the difference between the two teams is our bowlers against their batters."