By all accounts Paul Collingwood was disarmingly honest the other day when discussing the new money available in the game. Cricket has gone from talking hundreds to thousands to millions in the space of 30 years and one can easily understand that nobody is entirely sure how this new-found wealth is going to affect the game and, most importantly, players’ attitudes.

If I could offer one piece of advice it would be simply to focus on the cricket and let the rest take care of itself. The money on offer from the Stanford challenge should be treated simply as a admittedly sizeable bonus and any self-respecting sports psychologist would be doing his best to concentrate the minds of these players on the playing of the game itself. This is easy to say for someone who is not having the carrot of a $1m purse dangled in front of his nose, but put me down for the gig in November if it turns out that a specialist commentary team needs a presenter to give the event the right sort of build-up, for the appropriate fee! I would do it for a pittance, naturally, just to be there and witness the body language if the match turns out to be a nail-biter.

Were I 30 years younger I would be relishing the challenge and backing myself to be part of it all as both a Test and Twenty20 player. When I was 21 and just starting my international career I was able to enjoy the Tests and ODIs equally. Ten years later my attitude to one-day cricket had changed; Test cricket was the ultimate for me and success as a Test player always gave the greater satisfaction. I can only hope the young men anticipating the prospect of some big pay days do not lose sight of the bigger picture.

I have seen over the past few days questions posed as to how a player’s attitude might be affected when he works out that all that hard work playing five-day Tests for a few grand a time can be trumped by one good day in Antigua. First things first: it is not just a question of turning up, opening the suitcase and asking Allen Stanford to count out a million bucks - there is the tricky thing of beating the Stanford All Stars, whoever they turn out to be and who one can assume will also be trying hard to fill their own suitcases. Then, even if all goes well for our international buccaneers, and if they are also allowed at some stage to get their hands on some Indian Premier League loot, I would like to think that there will be a big place in their hearts for Test cricket. Let us not forget that all these men began playing this game because they enjoyed it and they continue to play as well-paid professionals, not just because of the money but because they still get great enjoyment and satisfaction from playing all forms of the game. The ideal, which would involve joined-up thinking from those that run the game around the world, would be for the best players to blend the formats into their year with enough gaps to draw breath and recuperate and, if they must be so tacky, count their money.

Kevin Pietersen might be wishing he hadn’t mentioned burn-out when his existing schedule was apparently taking its toll, but a chance to make some serious dosh is not to be squandered. Remember not to complain too often of fatigue as you hop off the private jet en route to the next Test match. Players should want to maximise commercial potential but keener to maximise their reputations in the highest form of the game. When you look back, it is your record as a Test player that gives the greatest satisfaction.