Paul Collingwood (born 26 May 1976) was until 2011 a regular member of the England Test cricket team. He is a batting all-rounder, and a medium-pace bowler. His 206 during the 2006–07 Ashes series was the first double century by an England batsman in Australia for 78 years. Three consecutive match-winning performances at the end of the 2006–07 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia brought him enthusiastic approval in the British media, helping to secure the trophy for England. In 2010 he led the England team to their first International Cricket Council Trophy, the 2010 World Twenty20. He has made the most One Day International (ODI) appearances for England and was, until recently passed by Ian Bell, the leading ODI run scorer. He announced his retirement from Test cricket in January 2011, during the 5th Test of the 2010–11 Ashes series. He finished on a high, becoming a three-time Ashes winner as England won a series in Australia for the first time in 24 years, with three innings victories contributing to a 3–1 win. He is regarded as one of the finest fielders of his time.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Collingwood

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

451:

Armenian rebels were defeated by forces of the Sassanid Empire on the Avarayr Plain in Vaspurakan, but the loss played a major factor in their being granted religious freedom 33 years later. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Avarayr

1637:

Pequot War: An allied Puritan and Mohegan force attacked a fortified Pequot village in the Connecticut Colony, killing 500 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystic_massacre

1822:

The deadliest fire in Norwegian history took place at a church in Grue, Norway, with at least 113 deaths. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grue_Church_fire

1906:

Vauxhall Bridge in London opened, crossing the River Thames between Vauxhall and Westminster. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_Bridge

1991:

Lauda Air Flight 004 experienced an uncommanded thrust reverser deployment of an engine and broke apart in mid-air, killing all 223 people on board. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauda_Air_Flight_004

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

baksheesh: (business, ethics) in the Middle East, southwest Asia and Eastern Europe: a bribe or tip. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/baksheesh

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

I can't tell you how much time is spent worrying about decisions that don't matter. To just be able to make a decision and see what happens is tremendously empowering, but that means you have to set up the situation such that when something does go wrong, you can fix it.   --Ward Cunningham https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ward_Cunningham