Colly puts off surgery to play in Lord's Test

Paul Collingwood insisted today he will be fit for this week's First Test against New Zealand but admitted he faces up to six months on the sidelines if his troublesome right shoulder eventually needs surgery.

England's one-day captain and middle order Test all-rounder had a cortisone injection in his bowling shoulder on Friday evening - the third time the joint has been 'jabbed' since October because of soreness.

"I've been told that is the last injection I can have in that particular area," said Collingwood, who first damaged his shoulder when going for a caught and bowled chance during last autumn's one-day series in Sri Lanka. He then had another injection before February's tour of New Zealand.

"After the previous two, the shoulder responded 100 per cent so I've no worries about being fine for Thursday," said Collingwood who has played in England's last 29 Tests. "Then hopefully I can manage the problem by working on various routines."

The 31-year-old admitted the possibility of surgery some time in the future has been mentioned by his medical team - with the recovery period from an operation given as "three to six months."

"Hopefully it won't come down to that," said Collingwood.

"Surgery is the last resort - it's the last thing I want because you miss so much cricket. Until the day comes when I think it's affecting my performance, I'm not going to worry too much.

"I don't want to give my place away [by being unavailable] in any kind of game. I don't want to say I'll have an operation and expect to get my spot back." SQUAD: Strauss, Cook, Vaughan (capt), Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Ambrose, Broad, Sidebottom, Panesar, Anderson, Hoggard.