IT is fantastic that two of England’s most important players have turned down the lure of the dollar to concentrate on what is really important — international cricket.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad would have attracted big money if they turned out in the IPL but, instead, they would rather use the three weeks to recharge their batteries ahead of a tough year that culminates in an Ashes campaign Down Under.

Increased workloads can break fast bowlers and we do not want a situation where either of our two bright stars wilt under the burden and become as injury-prone as Andrew Flintoff.

Their commitments with the Three Lions are already too much but it is encouraging that, at a time when players around the world are queueing up to take the cash, the duo are fully focused on England glory.

Batsmen like Kevin Pietersen are different because regular cricket does not take as much of a toll on the body as the art of fast bowling.

England need to keep their momentum going in Test cricket, and they can only do that with a fit-and-firing pace attack.

Anderson and Broad will spearhead that charge for many years to come and flogging themselves on the sub-continent will do them more harm than good.

We can only hope they set a trend for other up-and-coming cricketers in this country.

After all, nobody remembers who did what in this season’s IPL. We all remember Broad ripping through the Aussie batting line-up in the decisive Ashes Test.

That type of personal pride and glory is priceless.

WHILE it was great to see England win Team of the Year at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year bash, it is their women counterparts who should have walked away with the trophy.

Their stunning achievements this year have gone under the radar, but they have swept all before them.

They won the Ashes, the World Cup and the Twenty20 World Cup. Claire Taylor was even named one of the Wisden’s five cricketers of the year — the first woman to be honoured with the award in its 120-year history.

Let’s hope they continue to do us proud into 2010.