A quick look at some statistics is in order so as to put what Collingwood and Pietersen achieved yesterday in context. Cricket has various ways of categorizing partnership records: who the batsmen were playing for, who they were playing against, which wicket was involved, where it happened and so on. Colly and KP put on 310 for the 4th wicket against Australia in Adelaide.

In terms of all time English records, they were a long way behind. In particular the largest ever partnership by English batsmen was also for the 4th wicket: 411 put on by Colin Cowdrey and Peter May against West Indies in Birmingham in 1957. However, in terms of England-Australia matches, it is a clear 4th wicket record, eclipsing the 288 set by Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe in 1997. It is also, by quite a long way, the highest partnership made by either side for any wicket in Adelaide.

Collingwood’s 206 is also a significant achievement. Only seven other men have scored 200 for England against the Aussies. Wally Hammond did it four times, but that’s great batsmen for you, and Australians will doubtless point to Bradman’s six double centuries and two triple centuries.

And finally, the last time that England made more than 500 against Australia was in 1986 in Perth. That match was drawn. A fine captain’s innings by Allan Border allowed Australia to avoid following on – something I’m sure Ricky Ponting is aware of.