Glory worth more than cash for Colly

Behind the scenes, hugely important final details - such as who will be paid how much - have to be agreed before the megabucks Stanford Challenge matches are officially added to the fixture list while Indian Premier League franchise owners can now turn their full attention to transfer targets for next year's event.

But although Collingwood admits the Twenty20 revolution can bring rich rewards and is a cause for great excitement, he believes England minds remain firmly on the day job.

"Where your money comes from, and where your success comes from, is through doing well for England in the Tests, being successful as a team and winning matches," said the all-rounder.

According to Collingwood, the players are leaving their union, the Professional Cricketers' Association, to negotiate with the England Cricket Board over how Sir Allen Stanford's millions should be shared out after this November's first challenge match in Antigua.

As for the rights and wrongs of key performers like Kevin Pietersen joining the IPL next April when they might be better off resting ahead of an Ashes summer, he said: "The players aren't even discussing it so it's not a major issue in the dressing room.

"What we are concentrating on 100 per cent is putting in a good performance this week and, hopefully, keeping this good run going."

Few people would doubt Collingwood's burning desire to win for England. This is the player, remember, who risked ridicule by wrangling with Shane Warne two winters ago when the only issue was whether Australia would re-take the Ashes 4-0 or 5-0.

But England's batsmen were so tentative in the first innings of the npower Second Test at Old Trafford that one wondered whether, subconsciously, they had become too desperate not to make a mistake which could result in them fading from the scene at a time when previously unimaginable riches are on offer.

"No, no. Definitely not," said Collingwood. "We've got jobs to do in Test cricket and we're certainly not going out to bat thinking 'I must stay in the side so I'm in the Twenty20 team'."

Something changed, though, in the nick of time at Old Trafford. England bowled superbly to prey on Kiwi nerves and then they attacked a daunting victory target of 294 with real relish to win by six wickets.

Now, having come from behind to take the series in New Zealand a couple of months ago and put themselves in peril at Manchester, the task for Vaughan and Co this week is to not only finish the job but also put up a commanding performance from the opening delivery of the Third Test.

England are almost certain to be unchanged for the fifth consecutive match, something that has not been achieved for more than 120 years. And, assuming reasonable weather, they will be favourites to claim a fourth victory during that sequence of games.

But winning in style would be the real step forward: scoring more than 400 in the first innings after 11 substandard totals, bowling with discipline throughout and denying New Zealand even a sniff of a chance, thereby raising confidence ahead of the summer's second series against South Africa.

"It is a bit frustrating that we've not been front-running," said Collingwood. "These players have got a lot of talent and, hopefully, we can start clicking even more because when we do we are going to be a very formidable side."