Graeme Swann and his England team-mates are already quivering at the prospect of their next team summit meeting in Loughborough.
Video: England prepare for forth Test
Video: Flower talks about England success
Win, lose or draw the final Test against India at The Oval, starting Thursday - or the subsequent limited-overs NatWest Series against the same opponents - Swann and Co know a debrief is already in the offing next month.
It may not exactly be an appointment with fear. But the content of previous midlands meetings, notably in autumn 2009 when it was spelled out to England what they needed to do to become the top Test team in the world, still troubles Swann.
The good news, of course, is that - after their victory over India at Edgbaston to wrap up the npower series last weekend - England have already completed their world-beating mission.
Yet when the players were first shown - by performance analyst Nathan Leamon - the sequence of matches they would have to win to do so, Swann admits it was a frightening revelation.
"I'm almost dreading it," he said of the next update.
"During this break we have we will all be hauled up to Loughborough and sat down and said 'Right, this is how we're staying here [top of the world] - this is what we have to do'."
The new plan is likely to involve the requirement - or at any rate preference - for series victories in the Middle East against Pakistan and away to Sri Lanka next winter.
"That meeting we had when we sat down and it was all plotted out, it looked incredibly implausible," Swann recalls.
"The run of form we had to have and results we had to have and things go our way ... I don't think anyone - even the most incredible sensationalist - would have believed what we were writing on the board.
"But it has panned out that way. So I'm a bit nervous about what he might come up with next time."
Off-spinner Swann already knows he is likely to be a key part of England's winter strategy.
"I always look at the winter and think there's a lot more bowling for me to be done during those months," he said.
"When we get to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, having played on those wickets, I'm not sure our seamers will be lining up to bowl as they are at the minute."
In the more immediate future, England need to click once more against opponents who have not played to their potential so far this summer.
"I certainly wouldn't write off the Indian team, because they are a class act," said Swann.
"If this wicket is as good for batting as it usually is we will have to be absolutely on top of our game to keep them under 300."
James Anderson did not bowl during practice yesterday, but England remain optimistic his "minor" thigh injury will not keep him out.
more..
Video: England prepare for forth Test
Video: Flower talks about England success
Win, lose or draw the final Test against India at The Oval, starting Thursday - or the subsequent limited-overs NatWest Series against the same opponents - Swann and Co know a debrief is already in the offing next month.
It may not exactly be an appointment with fear. But the content of previous midlands meetings, notably in autumn 2009 when it was spelled out to England what they needed to do to become the top Test team in the world, still troubles Swann.
The good news, of course, is that - after their victory over India at Edgbaston to wrap up the npower series last weekend - England have already completed their world-beating mission.
Yet when the players were first shown - by performance analyst Nathan Leamon - the sequence of matches they would have to win to do so, Swann admits it was a frightening revelation.
"I'm almost dreading it," he said of the next update.
"During this break we have we will all be hauled up to Loughborough and sat down and said 'Right, this is how we're staying here [top of the world] - this is what we have to do'."
The new plan is likely to involve the requirement - or at any rate preference - for series victories in the Middle East against Pakistan and away to Sri Lanka next winter.
"That meeting we had when we sat down and it was all plotted out, it looked incredibly implausible," Swann recalls.
"The run of form we had to have and results we had to have and things go our way ... I don't think anyone - even the most incredible sensationalist - would have believed what we were writing on the board.
"But it has panned out that way. So I'm a bit nervous about what he might come up with next time."
Off-spinner Swann already knows he is likely to be a key part of England's winter strategy.
"I always look at the winter and think there's a lot more bowling for me to be done during those months," he said.
"When we get to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, having played on those wickets, I'm not sure our seamers will be lining up to bowl as they are at the minute."
In the more immediate future, England need to click once more against opponents who have not played to their potential so far this summer.
"I certainly wouldn't write off the Indian team, because they are a class act," said Swann.
"If this wicket is as good for batting as it usually is we will have to be absolutely on top of our game to keep them under 300."
James Anderson did not bowl during practice yesterday, but England remain optimistic his "minor" thigh injury will not keep him out.
more..
