A star of the 2004 under-19 World Cup, Upul Tharanga then served an apprentice in the Essex leagues for Loughton before coming back to England with the senior Sri Lanka squad.

In the 5-0 drubbing of the hosts that followed, this left-handed opener started and ended the series with centuries, driving the English seamers to distraction.

His first 29 innings in ODIs included six centuries all told, a stunning achievement for a man of his tender years.