By Jonny Saunders BBC Sport, Colombo

It's no wonder the young Surrey all rounder Rikki Clarke felt a little bit queasy during one of England's practice sessions last weekend.

Trescothick found the going tough during his century

Of course he had to contend with the understandable nerves of playing alongside the likes of Nasser Hussain and Marcus Trescothick for the first time.

But he also had to cope with conditions which would have been completely alien.

At the start of this season Clarke was playing for his club side Guildford and the Surrey 2nd XI - fine breeding grounds no doubt, but no sort of preparation for Colombo.

This place is seriously hot!

When yesterday's game against Zimbabwe started at 2.30pm local time, the mercury was hovering at the 35-degree mark.

Just walking around the ground was exhausting and I was only commentating

Irani uses magnesium supplements

It all means that the team physiologist Nigel Stockhill has to keep a particularly close eye on the players.

He has to make sure they're drinking plenty of liquids to replenish the supplies they lose through sweating.

Irani hydrates himself for games the day before he plays, ensuring he drinks a litre and a half of water before going to bed.

He also makes sure he stocks up on magnesium supplements - a remedy to the cramping he often suffers from.

England's players will already be preparing their bodies for another Colombo experience on Sunday when they take on India.

In order to be in peak condition for the game the hydration will already be well underway and the players have been told to stay out of the sun.

There's enough to worry about from Tendulkar, Dravid and company without the added concerns of not being able to cope with the climate.