I might be a bit behind the curve on this one, but England played a few ODIs against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka a few weeks ago, and they have test matches coming up in December. In the meantime, Sri Lanka are playing test matches in Australia. Isn't this a bit unusual? And what are England's team doing in the meantime?

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Money won't buy you friends. But it gets you a better class of enemy.
Spike Milligan

England have played 8 Tests so far this year and Sri Lanka 3. So England are having a short rest after a hectic year. I do think it is a good idea to separate the ODI and Tests. Usually after a hard Test series we go straight into ODIs with a tired team. This way of doing it seems much better.

Tests played to date in 2007
8 - England
6 - South Africa, India
5 - Pakistan, Bangladesh
4 - West Indies
3 - Sri Lanka
1 - Australia
0 - New Zealand, Zimbabwe

Sure, but where are the English players physically? Have they come back home or doing the resting in Sri Lanka....perhaps with a bit of diving and snorkelling in the Maldives?

I think they're back in Blighty, aren't they? Apart from that, I don't know.

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"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose."
- Ayrton Senna

They are home and able to sleep in their own beds. They meet at Loughborough next week for a training camp and leave the following week for Sri Lanka. Harmison has gone to South Africa to try and prove his fitness and form and should be playing in two matches for the Free State. Gibson has gone with him (so he doesn't get lost) and will probably let the ECB know whether he is ready for Sri Lanka.