To say we are raring to go is an understatement, and all our preparation and planning is in place. Preparation first started at the end of the domestic season with all the players taking a well earned rest, with holidays for some, quality time with the family for others and for one, I believe, a spot of gardening.

The players, both senior team and A team, assembled at Headingley with our physiotherapist Wayne Morton and physiologist Dean Riddle for their fitness assessment, from which each was issued with a training programme suitable for their own specific needs.

The players also took an ophthalmic and sports vision assessment which, as well as being an eye test, is also a speed of reaction test.

The Fitness Test Definition falls into seven categories agility, speed, phosphate (stamina), bench press, leg press, flexibility and body fat.

In the agility test the player shuttles backwards and forwards against the clock over a distance of 10 yards picking up and throwing cricket balls at a target positioned eight yards away. The player has three attempts to attain an average score.

The speed test is from a standing start over 20 yards, again with three attempts for the average score. The phosphate test is the killer.

The stamina course is actually a 'between the wickets' 20 yards from A to B; the player runs as in a game with his bat and returns to a grid marked out with scores from one to seven. The object is to run the bat in on the return run into the highest scoring zone possible.

Six seconds is the time allowed for each shuttle with a 24second break between shuttles. They go 20 times.

Vomit buckets are provided at the end of each shuttle, but any deposits must be made within the 24-second recovery period. John Emburey and I were out of breath just watching them.

The bench press is 70 per cent of body weight as many times as possible until failure, and similarly the leg press is 200 per cent of body weight. The flexibility test is designed for the hamstrings and lower back and the body fat test is expressed as a percentage and millimetres total, using four reading sites back, biceps, triceps and hip.

Why? I hear you ask, and the only answer I give is that I firmly believe in being in peak shape as a sports-man and giving yourself the best possible chance to succeed.

I am absolutely delighted that reports coming back from our A team in Australia are that we are imposing ourselves upon the opposition and are physically sharper. It really is about sustaining performance until the very last ball of the day with a consistency of performance.

WHEN we are in the field, we must have a teamwork that is fully complementary. Is there not anything better for a bowler, who has toiled throughout the day, than to see a fielder pull off a superlative piece of fielding or a breathtaking catch?

It lifts the whole team and it can only be done with a rock solid base level of fitness. We are in the process of making our designer fitness programme available to all the counties for next season.

Early in November the touring party went to the Barrington Centre in Portugal for more fitness work, with further assessment. Early starts - 6.30am was not unknown - were on the agenda, and I assume this may have been the reason for me being thrown into the pool on a fairly regular basis. One D Cork is right in my sights.

On a serious note, it is a pity that, for his own personal reasons, Dominic is no longer travelling with us, but our main concern is that he gets himself sorted out. It is not something he can do from Zimbabwe.

In any case the original plan was for Dominic to miss Zimbabwe and join us in New Zealand so his knees could have a rest from the rigours of fast bowling.

We had the option of a replacement but, given the amount of cricket we will play in Zimbabwe, we decided to stick with the 14. It adds up to a bigger challenge for the likes of Chris Silverwood, the young seam-bowler from Yorkshire.

What of our opponents? Well, they do have major players in David Houghton, the Worcestershire coach, Heath Streak, who did well in his time at Hampshire as an opening strike bowler, the Flower brothers have excelled consistently at this level and they have an improving leg-spinner in Paul Strang.

Zimbabwe will be fired by ambition to improve their position in Test cricket and will be looking to build on their solitary win against Pakistan. We have not travelled well recently and we will need to be better than them in batting, bowling and fielding.

I can tell you quite categorically that England, your England, is ready for the challenge.

I am sure it has not gone unnoticed that one I T Botham has been reported as being part of the team. The truth is he always has been England through and through - and the form is that, when time allows, he will spend a little time with the players whether it be in the nets or just chatting informally about their game.

He is a friend of the captain and myself, and the players are relaxed with him around. With all those runs, wickets and memorable performances it would be clumsy of us not to tap in. Oh, and there is the little matter of our summer visitors yes, very clumsy not to.

Lastly, can I enter the debate about as to who are the world champions? Australia are right up there, but they have just been beaten by India, whom we beat earlier this year.

Pakistan have a terrific attack and are above us on this year's showing - though they lost to New Zealand this week - and West Indies are doing a bit of shouting of late after their recent problems.

Our last series with the West Indies was drawn 2-2. South Africa drew in England 1-1, but could not get home quick enough, and then shaded us 1-0 on their home patch. A tough team, but they are definitely not unbeatable.

The Australia v West Indies series this winter promises to be a cracker. The Aussies have been fretting like mad over Shane Warne's fitness, and his performance in the first Test in Brisbane did not settle every doubt.

The world order of things seems very complicated, and we may have some ground to make up. We have a terrific challenge ahead this winter, with the big one beckoning next summer.

We all have dreams, ambitions, targets and goals, and I am no different. Our management structure from the under-19s, the A team and senior side is strong and in one voice with the support that we give to the team. I sincerely hope that we can give you a team to be proud of.

Let me again make mention of Christopher Martin-Jenkins's words in these columns during the summer: ``Australia have been showing the rest how best to win Test matches: sharply honed, dedicated and committed players; an aggressive approach; attacking bowling; superlative fielding; and flexible, orthodox batting.

``The emphasis is on the physiological and the physical, which has altered the intensity of the game. The message is that you have to be tough and ruthless.''

That says it all.