Top-ranked England play Sri Lanka in a two-Test series from Monday with both teams looking to prove a point after recent setbacks in the traditional five-day game. England’s status as the world’s number one Test side took a big hit when they crashed to an embarrassing 3-0 series whitewash to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in January-February.
Sri Lanka, currently ranked sixth after being number two just a few years ago, are still searching for ways to win Test matches without their retired world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan. The failure of Andrew Strauss-led England to adjust to spin-friendly wickets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi raised questions about their ability to win away from the seaming conditions at home.
Sri Lanka will offer little respite for the tourists, whose challenge to master the slow, turning wickets will be compounded by the oppressive heat and humidity prevailing on the island. “It’s unbelievable, make no bones about that,” batting star Kevin Pietersen said of the stifling weather. “It’s not the spinners we have to worry about, it’s the heat.
“The heat is the biggest threat to us. I am trying to conserve a lot of energy, not run around like a crazy fool.” England have not won a series in Sri Lanka since 2001, when Nasser Hussain’s men fought back after losing the first Test to win the remaining two matches for a creditable 2-1 scoreline. The tourists drew a blank on their last two visits to Sri Lanka, in 2003 and 2007, as the hosts won both three-Test series by 1-0 margins. Strauss’ men have begun the current tour well by winning both practice matches in the capital Colombo, the first by an innings and 15 runs and the second after chasing down a target of 359 in 60.4 overs. All the top-order batsmen, barring Ian Bell, have got among the runs with Strauss, opening partner Alastair Cook and number three Jonathan Trott hitting centuries. The badly out-of-form Bell has managed just 25 runs in three innings on the tour so far, while Ravi Bopara will be considered only as a specialist batsman after a side strain prevented him from bowling. Sri Lanka’s recent poor form will encourage England as they attempt to stamp their authority in the short series.
