With the first Test match fast approaching in Kandy, England’s preparations are in a little bit of disarray.  Firstly, the last practice match is being played on a very poor wicket in Colombo which is not enabling our top order batsmen to find form and occupy the crease to get their game in good shape for Saturday and the first Test.  Also, unfortunately in this game England have lost the services of two of their main strike bowlers.  Steve Harmison has suffered a back spasm and could not even bat in England’s first innings and James Anderson having recovered from some back pain himself has now suffered an injury to his ankle.  Let’s hope both players can shake these injuries off before the weekend.

The Sri Lankan’s will be glad to be home following their tough trip to Australia and I am sure come Saturday they will be raring to go with both bat and ball.  The Kandy wicket can do a little bit sometimes at the beginning of the game, being in the mountains there can be some cloud cover but as the game goes on Kandy always wears and turns.  Muttiah Muralitharan requires five more wickets to take over from Shane Warne as the leading wicket taker of all time in Test cricket.  Kandy is Murali’s home town, so you can imagine the atmosphere as he gets nearer and nearer to the feat.  Let’s hope our lot can keep him from taking the record for some time to come.  Good luck to one and all.