Colly already planning for Caribbean

No formal word has yet been issued on the long-term leadership of the side. But with Andrew Strauss unlikely to make a return to the shortest form of the game, Collingwood looks best placed to take the side to the Caribbean for next year's World Twenty20 in April.

"I'm pretty clear on my role," said Collingwood. "I was captain for the World Twenty20 and I've been selected as captain for the two Twenty20s against Australia. So until I'm told otherwise, I want to lead England into the next Twenty20 World Cup."

He added: "I'm happy with that arrangement - and unless someone tells me otherwise, I look forward to my job captaining the side."

One effect of Collingwood's continued captaincy of the team has been his decision to remove himself from his favoured backward-point position.

The 33-year-old has long been considered one of the world's best in that area - and his replacement, newcomer Joe Denly, grassed a simple-looking chance to reprieve Cameron White during Sunday's washout against Australia.

White was on 12 at the time and went on to top-score with 55 in the tourists' 145 for four, before England's reply was ended by rain on four for two.

Asked whether he would consider returning to his traditional position, Collingwood said: "No, I couldn't do it.

"When I was captaining the one-dayers I found it hard to captain from backward-point. It was too difficult with the angles and communicating the bowlers.

"So it's a position I've had to give away - someone younger can dive around in there now. Joe has done wonderfully well there for Kent, so I'm sure that [the drop] was just a slip."