Paul Collingwood and James Anderson will be given their first breaks in more than six months of international cricket this week, when they are rested for the next three and two matches respectively of England's ongoing one-day series against Australia.
Collingwood and Anderson have appeared in every single England fixture across three formats since early February, and will finally get a chance to recharge their batteries after being told they can sit out of Saturday's fourth ODI match at Lord's.
Collingwood, who is currently seeking to be released from his Delhi Daredevils contract for next month's Champions League in India, will also miss the double-header in Nottingham next week, before returning on his home ground at Chester-le-Street for the final ODI on September 20. Anderson will return for the second Trent Bridge match.
"It is difficult, but that's just the way the schedule is at the minute," Anderson told Cricinfo last week, when asked about the players' current workload. "Wherever we go in the world, each series is pretty much back-to-back and we don't get much rest in between.
"Ideally we'd have wanted a few more days after the Ashes to let things settle down and let people's bodies recover, but it just wasn't to be. It's just something we have to try and get used to."
Although England are 3-0 down in the seven-match series and need a victory on Saturday to have any chance of winning the series, it was decided that the strain of such a heavy schedule in the aftermath of the Ashes triumph has taken its toll on the duo, especially with the Champions Trophy in South Africa looming large on the horizon.
England fly to South Africa on September 21, the day after the Durham ODI, and return to the country on November 1 for a four-Test and five-ODI series finishing on January 18.
Collingwood and Anderson have appeared in every single England fixture across three formats since early February, and will finally get a chance to recharge their batteries after being told they can sit out of Saturday's fourth ODI match at Lord's.
Collingwood, who is currently seeking to be released from his Delhi Daredevils contract for next month's Champions League in India, will also miss the double-header in Nottingham next week, before returning on his home ground at Chester-le-Street for the final ODI on September 20. Anderson will return for the second Trent Bridge match.
"It is difficult, but that's just the way the schedule is at the minute," Anderson told Cricinfo last week, when asked about the players' current workload. "Wherever we go in the world, each series is pretty much back-to-back and we don't get much rest in between.
"Ideally we'd have wanted a few more days after the Ashes to let things settle down and let people's bodies recover, but it just wasn't to be. It's just something we have to try and get used to."
Although England are 3-0 down in the seven-match series and need a victory on Saturday to have any chance of winning the series, it was decided that the strain of such a heavy schedule in the aftermath of the Ashes triumph has taken its toll on the duo, especially with the Champions Trophy in South Africa looming large on the horizon.
England fly to South Africa on September 21, the day after the Durham ODI, and return to the country on November 1 for a four-Test and five-ODI series finishing on January 18.
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