England held to 246-8 as Collingwood shines again

SYDNEY, Feb 11 (Reuters) Paul Collingwood continued his golden run of form with a defiant half-century to guide England to a modest total of 246 for eight in today's second tri-series one-day international against Australia.

The Durham batsman followed up his back-to-back hundreds in his past two innings with an impressive 70 to raise England's hopes of wrapping up the best-of-three finals series after their four-wicket win in Melbourne on Friday.

Collingwood shared a 97-run partnership for the fifth wicket with his captain Andrew Flintoff, who made 42 from 50 balls, after the tourists crashed to 112-4 in the 26th over.

Opener Mal Loye (45) and Ian Bell (26) had laid the foundations for a bigger England total before both were run out as the Australians made amends for their sloppy fielding in Melbourne with a vastly improved display.

Loye was dismissed after a direct hit from Matthew Hayden on the first ball after the second of two rain delays while Bell was run out by a direct hit from Mike Hussey.

Jamie Dalrymple was also run out for five after a mix-up with Paul Nixon while Ed Joyce was brilliantly caught by a diving Brad Hodge at midwicket for 15.

England were poised to post a bigger total after reaching 209-4 in the 43rd over but added just 37 for the loss of four wickets from the last seven overs.

Flintoff fell eight runs short of his second fifty of the series after express paceman Brett Lee held a sharp return catch while Collingwood departed when he flicked a legside catch off Nathan Bracken to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

Glenn McGrath, playing his last international at his home ground, captured a wicket off his final delivery to a standing ovation when Nixon holed out to Brad Hodge in the deep off the last ball of the innings.

McGrath, who is retiring after the World Cup, finished with figures of 2-41 from his 10 overs.

REUTERS PM KN1506