BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | England player ratings v Sri Lanka

BBC Sport Online assesses the England Test team's performances in the home series against Sri Lanka.

Nasser Hussain

Hussain's reputation as captain continues to rise after completing a double over Sri Lanka, who England beat on tour in 2001, by a decisive margin of 2-0.

Content to play a supporting role with the bat while his teammates flourished around him, he nevertheless contributed two half centuries, in the opening match at Lord's.

Marcus Trescothick

Trescothick took another leap forward with his score of 161 at Edgbaston, the highest score of his Test career to date, and was part of the successful run chase at Old Trafford.

Calm, assured and always ready to put away a bad ball, he made Sri Lanka's senior seamer Chaminda Vaas look ordinary and could well have made two centuries in the series, but for a poor umpiring decision which cut short his innings on 76 at Lord's.

Michael Vaughan

Put a disappointing series in New Zealand behind him with scores of 64 and 115 in the first Test at Lord's to establish himself as an opener of genuine class.

Never content just to play second fiddle to Marcus Trescothick, Vaughan's strokeplay, especially his cover driving, helped set a positive tone for the rest of the England batting line-up.

Mark Butcher

Back to the form which brought him a match-winning century against Australia last year, Butcher made over 300 runs in the series and went close to a hundred in all three Tests.

An innings of 105 at Lord's was followed by 94 at Edgbaston, but his best effort came at Old Trafford, where he hit 18 fours in a score of 123 despite discomfort from a knee problem which requires surgery.

Graham Thorpe

Went past 5,000 Test runs in the course of the series and continues to be the player who sets the standard among England's batsmen.

His 123 at Edgbaston was a typically dominant innings and the way he offered guidance to in last man Matthew Hoggard during a 10th wicket stand of 91 underlined his value to the side.

Alec Stewart

Recalled to the side after James Foster suffered a broken arm, Stewart looked like he had never been away and has now equalled Graham Gooch's England record of 118 Test caps.

His score of 123 at Old Trafford was the 15th century of his Test career and at the age of 39, he remains a class above every other wicket-keeper/batsman in the country.

Andrew Flintoff

After a highly impressive winter in India and New Zealand, Flintoff continues to reap the benefits of his improved work ethic and fitness regime.

His returns were, however, unspectacular and he would benefit from a move up the batting order and being given greater responsibility with the ball.

Alex Tudor

Brought back after a winter Academy squad in Australia, Tudor did everything which could realistically have been expected of him by the selectors.

Andy Caddick's injury in the third Test of Old Trafford put greater onus on Tudor and he rose to the occasion with figures of four for 65 in Sri Lanka's first innings. Now needs a prolonged run in the side.

Ashley Giles

Left out of the side at Lord's, which proved a questionable decision as Sri Lanka piled up in excess of 500 in their first innings, he returned for the final two games of the series.

Came good at Old Trafford by taking four wickets on the final day despite a sore back to set up their dash for victory and earlier in the match he at last showed what he is capable with the bat with an innings of 45.

Andrew Caddick

Leading the attack in the absence of injured Darren Gough, Caddick toiled away without luck at Lord's, but played a significant part in England's win in the second Test with three wickets in each innings.

He suffered a side strain after bowling only 5.3 overs in the final match and his absence was a key factor as Sri Lanka managed to bat through the final day to earn a draw.

Matthew Hoggard

Bounced back from a mauling by Sri Lanka's batsmen in the opening Test to finish as England's leading wicket-taker in the series with 13 despite shouldering a heavy workload.

Was named Man of the Match after second innings figures of five for 92 at Edgbaston where he also batted for over two hours in contributing 17 not out to a stand of 91 with Graham Thorpe.

John Crawley

A contentious selection for the Lord's Test after three years away from international cricket, Crawley did not waste the opportunity with scores of 31 and 41 not out.

The need for an extra bowler meant he did not play again in the series, but did enough to keep himself in the selectors' minds and will hope for another chance against India later in the summer.

Dominic Cork

Derbyshire's marvellous start to the county season and his own reputation as a Lord's specialist led to Cork being called up for the opening Test.

An excellent batting pitch was not what he ordered, however, and although a workmanlike effort brought him three for 93, it was not enough to prevent Alex Tudor taking his place for Edgbaston and he was left out of the squad for the final Test.