England one-day captain Paul Collingwood was banned for four matches on Thursday after his side failed to bowl its overs in the required time in Wednesday's One-Day International against New Zealand. A statement from the International Cricket Council said Collingwood would miss the fifth and final match against New Zealand at Lord's on Saturday. He will also be banned from a Twenty20 match against South Africa and the first two One-Day Internationals against the Proteas. The ICC said Collingwood was banned because Wednesday's offense was his team's second within a year. Collingwood was fined 50 percent of his match fee when England fell short of the required over rate in a ODI against India on Aug. 24 last year. The suspension completes a miserable two days for Collingwood who admitted on Wednesday he had been wrong not to recall New Zealand batsman Grant Elliott who was run out after a collision with bowler Ryan Sidebottom. With the batsman receiving treatment on the ground, umpire Mark Benson checked with Collingwood to determine if the England captain wanted to go ahead with the appeal. He nodded, and Benson had no choice but to rule Elliott out. Although New Zealand won the game off the last ball, the Kiwi team was incensed and captain Daniel Vettori refused to shake Collingwood's hand after the match. Vettori, whose team takes an unbeatable 2-1 lead into the Lord's match, later accepted an apology from Collingwood at the post-match ceremony. Pietersen captain Kevin Pietersen has been named England's stand-in captain for the next four limited-overs internationals, following the ICC's decision to ban Collingwood. Pietersen will captain England in Saturday's series finale against the Kiwis, as well as three matches in August – a One-Day International against Scotland, a Twenty20 international against South Africa and one ODI against South Africa. Pietersen, who was born and raised in Pietermaritzburg near Durban but has an English mother, has had a fractious relationship with South Africa captain Graeme Smith. In his book, “Crossing the Boundary,” the flamboyant batsman described Smith as “childish,” after the latter criticized Pietersen's decision to represent England. – Agencies __
