PAUL Collingwood will return to Riverside this afternoon insisting that England owe his Durham team-mates a huge debt of thanks.

The Shotley Bridge-born all-rounder will represent his country on home soil for the third time as England look to continue their recent dominance over Australia in today's day-night encounter.

Michael Vaughan's side thrashed the world champions in a Twenty20 clash at the Rose Bowl last week, before easing to a three-wicket win over the same opposition in a 50-over game at Bristol on Sunday.

Those victories followed hot on the heels of an emphatic Test series win against Bangladesh that underlined England's position as the leading contenders to Australia's crown.

And they were followed by an even more extraordinary performance at Trent Bridge on Tuesday night, when England's batsmen hit the highest one-day international score against a Test-playing nation.

Steve Harmison claimed the first four Australian wickets to fall on Sunday, eventually finishing with the first five-wicket haul of his one-day international career.

But his feats were overshadowed by his Durham team-mate two days later, with Collingwood re-writing the record books against Bangladesh.

The versatile all-rounder blasted an unbeaten 112 off just 86 balls, before becoming the first England player to take six wickets in a one-day encounter as he ripped through a bemused lower order.

He now stands alongside West Indian legend Viv Richards, the only other player to have scored a century and taken five wickets in a limited-overs international.

With typical modesty, Collingwood has sought to play down the achievement - "It was just one of those days when everything came together for me" - but, in tandem with Harmison, there should be no surprise in seeing him leading England's charge to the top of the NatWest Series standings.

The pair have been in fantastic form all season, contributing to Durham's scintillating start that took the county to the top of the second tier of both the County Championship and the totesport League.

In previous summers, they have joined up with England having struggled to find their form on the county stage. This year, though, they have been firing on all cylinders in both arenas - a situation Collingwood feels is anything but co-incidental.

"I wouldn't say it's been difficult leaving Durham for England in the past," said the 29-year-old, who has played in more than 70 one-day internationals since making his debut against Pakistan in 2001. "But there have been times when the rest of the lads have made the most of it.

"Both myself and Steve have had to take some flak because Durham have been struggling near the bottom of the league.

"This summer, the boot has been on the other foot. Let's just say we've made the most of it. I think it's fair to say that none of the other players are in any doubt as to what position Durham are in this season.

"That's been enjoyable but, on a more serious note, I think Durham's start has helped me find my form straight away for England.

"I was full of confidence from the minute I joined up with the England squad and I know Steve felt exactly the same before the Tests.

"It helps when you're on a roll rather than scratching around for your form and it helps when you're a part of two successful teams at the same time."

Durham's recent success might have come as something of a surprise given the county's struggles last season, but England's winning run merely continues a trend of triumph that stretches back more than 12 months.

Last summer's Test series wins over New Zealand and West Indies were augmented by the one-day side's ICC Champions Trophy defeat of Australia.

The West Indies might have proved too strong in the final, but England's players responded in the best possible way by completing a hard-fought Test series win over South Africa at the start of the year.

Those victories have created an environment of stability, rather than a climate of fear, and fostered a winning mentality that was sadly lacking in England sides of the past.

"The mood in the camp is sky-high," confirmed Collingwood. "It was good before a ball was bowled this summer but the Test series win and the two wins over Australia have cranked things up to another level.

"We've been playing good cricket for the last two years now. That's been reflected in our results and it boosts everyone who's involved in the England team.

"You're full of confidence when you're playing at the top of your form. Winning breeds success and, at the moment, we're in a really good groove.

"Last year's win in the ICC Trophy proved we could beat Australia and the wins at the Rose Bowl and Bristol have rammed home that point.

"But Australia have been winning consistently for the last ten years. That's the challenge for this England side. We don't want to have a few good results and then throw all of our hard work away.

"This is about building something that's going to last. There's bound to be the odd setback along the way but we need to keep improving and moving forward."

While Collingwood is understandably delighted with the strides England's one-day side have made in recent years, he is realistic enough to concede there is still considerable room for improvement.

A NatWest series win over Australia would be a significant feather in the cap but the acid test will come when the West Indies stage the World Cup in April 2007.

"We've come a fair way but we all know we've still got a fair way to go," said Collingwood. "This is a massive series for us - any time you beat Australia is a cause for celebration - but we've also got one eye on the World Cup. We're aware of everything starting to build towards that.

"As a one-day side, I think we're set up well now. We've got a really good balance and we've got plenty of players who are capable of winning a match with either the bat or the ball.

"Kevin Pietersen has rightly been getting the headlines but we've got a lot of players who are in good form.

"We're probably still ten to 15 per cent away from where we want to be. Every aspect of our game is still open to a little improvement."

Read more about Durham here.