By Matt Prior England wicket-keeper

It does not seem all that long ago we arrived in Sri Lanka back in November, but here we are already approaching the third and final Test of the series.

I was out in the field for every single ball for nearly three days

Of course we approached it like we do every series - looking to emerge victorious - but to come away from here with a win in the final game and a 1-1 series draw would be absolutely massive.

For me, Sri Lanka is one of, if not the, hardest place to come and play cricket and it would be huge if we could tie things up this week.

Having battled well in the first Test only to come up a fraction short, we again showed just how much character we have in this side to grind out a draw in the second match.

That kept us in the series and it's an opportunity we're determined not to miss.

On the batting front, for example, we're looking in good shape.

A few of the boys have produced some fine knocks and only a decision here or a lack of fortune there has stopped one of us going on to make a big, big score.

It's something we're all striving for. We look at Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and those players don't just get to 100, they go big - and we know we have to do the same.

I'm sure it's only a matter of time because the likes of Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell could barely be in better touch.

As far as the bowlers are concerned, all I can do is take my hat off to them.

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To spend 187 overs in the field in the second Test was a gargantuan effort and yet every one of them kept pounding in and not once did we let the Sri Lankans get away from us.

On a personal note, I was out in the field for every single ball for nearly three days.

I've never been in a position like that before but there is no way you will hear me complaining - we'd all rather be out performing than back in the dressing room. We're relishing the challenge.

We all knew there would be times on this tour when things would be tough, and we were determined that we would meet those challenges full of heart and character - I don't think anyone can say we haven't done that.

And by taking the hits and coming back stronger, it builds energy and - hopefully crucially - momentum.

We took a great deal from the first Test and a huge amount again from the second and if we keep showing the effort and skill level we have been, I'm confident we'll get our rewards.

There was the odd Murali and the odd Malinga in there as well, so England will have to be on their toes in 10 years time!

Of course, this game is massive for another reason - we're bringing Test match cricket back to Galle.

After the tsunami disaster of 2004, this is a seminal match in so many ways and we all consider ourselves fortunate to be involved in helping put some smiles back on people's faces.

While the devastation of that terrible time is still apparent to some extent here, it was only really the other day that it dawned on us just how big a deal this match is.

We spent Saturday split into four groups to do what we could to help the local charity.

Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Matthew Hoggard and I met some local children at stadium to lend a bit of coaching.

We are all fully aware of the history of this area but being at the ground, with these children, it really hit us how horrific that time must have been for the people of Galle and anyone affected by the tsunami.

However, it was also a heart-warming experience. The kids were so enthusiastic about us being there and we had such a great time offering them some tips.

It's also clear that Sri Lankan cricket has a bright future! Despite only having had limited coaching and cricket experience, the kids were fabulous and picked things up so quickly it was stunning.

We're just a bunch of fellas playing a cricket match, but we have an opportunity to bring some joy to these people

There was the odd Murali and the odd Malinga in there as well, so England will have to be on their toes in 10 years' time I'd say!

At the end of the day, we're just a bunch of fellas playing a cricket match, but we have an opportunity to bring some joy to these people and hopefully put on a show.

If we can do that and come away with a victory and drawn series, it will have been a truly special week.