As I have written in previous blogs, England have had the upper hand over Sri Lanka in the relatively short history of Tests between the nations. Even if you discount the one-off fixtures played prior to 2001, they lead 5-4 and in the six home Tests, the margin is 3-1 with 2 draws. To accompany my trips down memory lane, I now offer my all-time best teams based on performances between the two sides in Test matches since the very first in 1982.
First off: Sri Lanka. As you might expect, their successes have relied very heavily on Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Chaminda Vaas, only one of whom remains in the squad. This does not bode well for the 2011 tourists. In 16 matches, Jayawardene has aggregated an impressive 1581 runs, including centuries in his last two appearances at Lord's, where both games were high-scoring draws. In fact, Mahela has hit six hundreds against England, easily more than anyone else from Sri Lanka. How they will need his runs this summer! However, my choice of openers would have to be Jayasuriya and Marvin Atapattu. Both have stuck double-centuries against England, while the former is also the third highest wicket taker, with 27 at a reasonable average of 28, according him genuine all-rounder status. Alongside Jayawardene, I would add Kumar Sangakkara as wicket-keeper, although most of the 1000-odd runs have been on home soil; his record in England is pretty mediocre, especially given his fabulous career elsewhere in the world. Aravinda De Silva's best years were in the 1990s but he lacked consistency against England. However, he, Tillakeratne Dilshan and ex-skipper Arjuna Ranatunga complete the middle-order. Ranatunga played in the very first Test and produced a few decent knocks and, with Sanga up the order, I reckon there's room for the tubby batsman lower down.
As for the remaining bowlers, the aforementioned Murali and Vaas pick themselves. So often they either won or saved matches on their own. Murali took an amazing 112 wickets in 16 matches at just 20 runs apiece. He took 21 in the last two Tests in England alone. The left-arm seamer Vaas claimed 49 scalps in all and with more than 500 runs to his name, including a 90 in Galle three years ago, he makes a valuable number eight. I could select Lasith Malinga but his ten wickets have cost almost 50 runs each. Instead the eleven are completed by Ashanta de Mel, who took 9 wickets back in the '80s, and CRD Fernando, but their achievements are modest compared with their illustrious team-mates.
As for England, well their runs and wickets have been much more evenly distributed. Top scorers have been Marcus Trescothick (957) and Michael Vaughan (755) and they are my obvious choice as openers, although Alastair Cook's average of 45 puts him in the frame. I wouldn't be surprised if he improves on that record over the coming weeks. Kevin Pietersen has also made almost 500 runs at 49, including consecutive centuries at Lord's and Edgbaston during the last tour. Robin Smith played only three times against Sri Lanka but averaged 67, while Graham Thorpe and 'keeper-batsman Alec Stewart also enjoyed themselves at the visitors' expense back in the day.
No England all-rounders have excelled themselves with the bat, so I place Andrew Flintoff ahead of Collingwood and Botham largely for his bowling (27 wickets at 33). England's most prolific wicket-taker against SL has been Matthew Hoggard, whose 37 scalps caused problems in the last decade. However, spinner Ashley Giles probably did more to win games. His battling, two-hour innings of 17 not out in Galle in 2004 also saved England's blushes. Monty Panesar had a 'five-for' at Trent Bridge in the last Test fixture between the two nations and Darren Gough adds firepower to my fantasy eleven. Indeed, his average of 23.50 from four matches is superior to almost anyone from either side.
Who would win in an imaginary Test between these two Elevens? In Sri Lanka, I reckon it might be close, with Murali possibly tipping the scales Sri Lanka's way. If in England, Murali and Vaas would again make it hard for English batsmen but Tres, Thorpe, KP et al are superior, man for man, down the batting order and might just nick it. In 2012, the contest between actual teams should on paper be a walkover for England. I just can't see the visitors bowling England out once, let alone twice!
