Sri Lanka have won the toss and will bat in the opening game.

Phil Mustard makes his debut and Graeme Swann and Ryan Sidebottom both play,as expected Cook,Bopara and Bell return after missing the 20Twenty.

No Murali for the hosts but they should still be too strong for England who have only ever won once in Sri Lanka.

I don't know about that Greg, Murali is a far bigger force for them than Mahela was trying to paint him as before this game. Sure, Vaas is the new-ball master as ever and Malinga can be lethal, but an attack of Vaas, Malinga, Fernando (free hits for no balls remember!), Maharoof, Jayasuria and Dilshan isn't that great to me. I'll back the inclusion of Swann over Panesar, who is still getting to grips with the ODI game and is not attacking or penetrative enough, plus Swann can biff a few down the order. Good to see Mustard getting a go at the top of the order after an outstanding domestic one-day season, I'm hopeful for some fireworks from him as a genuine opener in place of a poor effort from Prior, and it is needless to say that Mustard is a natural keeper too!

Now I would love for someone to explain to me the merits of a 7,2 field to messers Tharanga and Jayasuria. The two players in world cricket you don't want to offer any width too Colly is giving the bowlers no option but to feed their strength. We haven't bowled badly but with absolutely no protection on the leg side Anderson and Sidebottom through no fault of their own have allowed Sri Lanka an armchair ride for the first 10 overs which they are going to capatalise on in the next couple of power plays.

Sri Lanka should go on and win this match after posting 269/7. They haven't lost a match against any opposition in Sri Lanka with 269 runs or better. On the otherhand, England's best score under lights batting second is 170 all out.

That can't be right: I saw them make 203 against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2000. They lost by a run, with Darren Gough getting two off the last ball when four would have been enough. It was definitely dark (about 10 in the evening, I think).

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Money won't buy you friends. But it gets you a better class of enemy.
Spike Milligan

I doubt they will make that today at 79 -4 after 20 overs.

There has to be a worry over the form of Pietersen and Collingwood - and to a lesser extent Bell.

The trouble with this type of cricket is that players can carry one day form into the test format.

Mustard 27 of 17 deliveries is just learning him to improvise - and when it does not come off, he will be discared.

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Ern

I don't expect them to win. I was just questioning Mike's implication that England are worse than than they actually are!

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Money won't buy you friends. But it gets you a better class of enemy.
Spike Milligan

Yes point taken, but IMO they are no better or worse than say 2004, they really are poor in this type of cricket.

Cook with his 46 of 80 deliveries has shown that he is a test player - and I think England should do him a favour, and drop him from this pj cricket.

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Ern

Scored a hundred in a warm up game, and only a month ago was top scoring versus India, what are these form issues based on, one innings?

I love you Ern, but if you were president of the USA we that Red Nuke Button would take a hammering!!

What's Capetown got to do with Sri Lanka, OF? Naturally, I'm talking about England's performances in Sri Lanka. Their performances elsewhere have no relevance to this series in Sri Lanka. Not surprised that England got clobbered as the stats indicated they would.