Collingwood's sights now set on Pakistan tour berth

Now resting at home in Ashington, Harmison faces a hectic time next month as he and Andrew Flintoff are in the Rest of the World squad to play Australia in a six-day Test and three one-day games.

The Test starts on October 14 and the tour of Pakistan begins 12 days later, and Collingwood said: "There's a great feeling about the England team - they just love a challenge. Everybody is really looking forward to the next challenge, and that's Pakistan."

Harmison was only 17 when he was taken to Pakistan with England Under 19s, but he was back home after a week and was still troubled by homesickness in South Africa last winter.

Collingwood hopes to be in the Test party for the winter tours, as well as the one-day squad, after being inspired by the Ashes triumph.

The celebrations included a visit to 10 Downing Street and he said: "We gave Mr Blair a bit of stick about his fridge. He didn't have any beers in it.

"It was a massive day. We wanted to celebrate hard and enjoy it, and that's what we all did.

"I never thought cricket could inspire such scenes as we saw in Trafalgar Square.

"It was an amazing game to be involved in and the scenes afterwards were unbelievable.

"The quality of the cricket, the individual performances and the way both sides have respected each other has really captured everyone's imagination."

Collingwood's mother, Janet, sat with his wife, Vicky, and the other players' wives on Monday, while his dad was in the stand.

After Tuesday's celebrations Collingwood, Harmison and their wives travelled back by train and Durham's vice-captain had to lead the county on Wednesday in the absence of Mike Hussey, who is in Pakistan with Australia A.

"I haven't had two minutes to myself since I got back, so I'm looking forward to getting to bed for a couple of hours," he said after yesterday's play against Northamptonshire was washed out.

"On the train people were coming up to congratulate us, then the taxi driver wouldn't let us pay. People are still coming up and offering to buy me champagne.

"I've spent some time this morning watching a re-run of the Test on television and it just makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck."

Collingwood's two previous Tests were in Sri Lanka in December, 2003, but despite being leapfrogged by Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen he never lost heart.

"There's no point in getting down about things when you are not picked," he said. "There are reasons for it and you have to try a bit harder. That's the attitude I have always had.

"Some people might make their mouths go, but that's not my style.

"You never know what's round the corner, and just to have played in this one game was everything I have ever wanted."

England were staring down the barrel when Collingwood went to the crease with five wickets down in the second innings.

Although he made only ten, he survived for an hour and said: "We felt that once we got through that Brett Lee spell either side of lunch it took a bit of wind out of them.

"He's definitely the fastest bowler I've faced, but Kevin Pietersen was in the zone for that period when he had a go at him. I could see it in his eyes.

"He kept saying if he could get half a bat on on it the ball would go for six on the leg side because it was a short boundary.

"It didn't look that short to me, but Kevin backed himself to the hilt. It was the innings of a genius.

"After that Shane Warne went round the wicket and someone got Gary Pratt to come on and tell Kevin to keep kicking the ball away.

"I was telling him that but he wasn't listening.

"I have never been so nervous going into a match. Knowing how much it meant to everyone made it hard waiting to go into bat.

"I couldn't eat much, and while I was waiting to bat I was just chatting to Harmy. It was the usual stuff from him about Newcastle United.

"But once I was in the middle I felt fine. I felt as if I belonged there and enjoyed every minute of it. Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for Pakistan."