| Player: | SK Warne, PD Collingwood |
| Event: | Australia in British Isles 2009 |
Paul Collingwood has said that any attempts by Australia to expose chinks in England's psychological armour will prove futile.
Collingwood believes Australians are masters at sledging who pounce as soon as they detect any weakness.
The right-hander himself famously came off a distant second in a verbal tussle with Shane Warne in 2007 after he decided to target the spin great on his final Test.
The move backfired as Warne was instrumental in Australia completing a 5-0 series whitewash.
Two and a half years later Collingwood insists his side will not succumb to any 'mental disintegration'.
"Sometimes they can really come hard at you as a team - usually when they sniff a moment where we have to get right on top," he said.
"Sometimes during the Adelaide Test in 2006 they had gone very quiet like any team when you get on top of them. It depends what the situation is.
"As a team England can stand up to sledging. If the opportunity comes around, if something needs to be said, then we'll back each other up.
"We won't go looking for it, we just want to perform well.
"Australia are very good at it. I played a lot of cricket out there as a youngster, initially in 1996, and they come hard at you.
"It's in their culture from a very early age. The youngsters do it. You feel that as a player, as an individual going out to bat in their country.
"It's very much a part of their culture but we have some strong characters who can deal with it should it come along."
Collingwood and master of the art of leg spin, Warne have continued to exchange verbal assaults since - the now-retired Warne recently claiming England's World Twenty20 captain lacked imagination.
Collingwood also knows that Warne's position as a media pundit has left him exposed to further criticism over the coming weeks.
"Shane has gone but I'm sure there will be someone else for me," he said.
"In Sydney in 2007 we were just two players wanting to win games for their countries. But he's in the commentary box now so I can't really say too much."