ENGLAND'S one-day cricket captain Paul Collingwood was honoured by the University of Sunderland yesterday for his services to the sport.

Paul was joined by about 2,000 students at the university's annual academic awards ceremony at the Stadium of Light.

The Durham cricketer was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by university chancellor Lord Puttnam for his outstanding contribution to cricket regionally, nationally and internationally.

The award tops off a great start to the summer for the Shotley Bridge-born cricketer.

At the end of last month, Collingwood had one of the best weeks of his career.

On June 19, he was part of the England team that secured a 3-0 series win over the West Indies. During that game, at Chester-le-Street, he scored his fifth Test hundred - his first hundred on his home ground.

On the Wednesday, he was part of the Durham team which made club history by reaching its first first-class cricket final, which will be held at Lords next month.

If that wasn't enough, on the Friday, he was named England's one-day captain.

Collingwood was educated at Blackfyne Comprehensive School, in Consett, where he performed well, but learning always came second to cricket.

He showed great promise throughout his early playing days and, in 1995, aged 19, he was awarded a professional contract by Durham County Cricket Club, making his first-class debut in 1996.

In 2001, he made his England debut for the one-day side against Pakistan and made his Test debut two years later against Sri Lanka.

Collingwood played a key role in the final Test match against Australia in 2005, which saw England regain the Ashes. He is now one of the first names on the team sheet of the England Test side.

He was awarded an MBE in 2005 and recently named Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2007.