Collingwood keen to avoid surgery

England all-rounder Paul Collingwood is hoping to avert shoulder surgery for as long as possible

Paul Collingwood will play his 30th consecutive Test against New Zealand at Lord's this week hoping to avert shoulder surgery as long as possible.

The one-day captain had a third and final cortisone injection in a torn muscle in his right shoulder last Friday night, and successful day-to-day rehabilitation is now the only way to avoid an operation.

"I guess it's the stress you put the shoulder under and we have played a fair bit of cricket since the time I did it in Sri Lanka," said Collingwood. "This is the last injection I can have in this particular area, so hopefully I can keep it strong and manage it from now on."

He added: "There are never any gaps (in international cricket), so how do you have three to six months off?

"Until the day comes when I think it is affecting me on the field and affecting my performance, I am not going to worry about it.

"Surgery is the last thing I want because you miss so much cricket and you never know how you're going to respond to it."