Wettimuny in his playing days

The former Sri Lankan opener (who took a century off me at Lord's in 1984) and Jayasuriya are, clearly, in close contact.

Sid believes that tempers will have cooled down, not least because the players are being distracted and losing focus on what they really should be doing. It is a good point.

The pitch is interesting. From a distance, it seems to be well grassed but this turns out to be no more than grass clipping rolled into the surface.

Wettimuny said the ball will spin - and it can turn a lot here - but that the opening bowlers should also get some pace and bounce. That would suit England.

The force seems to be with England now. It is much easier going into back-to-back Tests when you have just won and although, physically, Kandy was a draining experience, the Englishmen's legs will feel the fresher.

The attention will inevitably focus on the umpires.

Umpire David Orchard

David Orchard replaces his South African colleague, Rudi Koertzen and Asoka de Silva - a spin bowler of my generation - is the home official.

Poor old BC Cooray is banged up in the third umpire's room!

I am beginning to tire of the ICC's attitude to neutral umpires. Orchard will be the third in as many Tests, and so has no feeling for the mood of the series.

The players need time to know and respect umpires, and this rapid rotation does not help one bit.

The hotels in Colombo are bursting at the seams with England supporters - this really is a huge business now.

Many former cricketers are here hosting tour groups: John Edrich, Graham Gooch, John Snow, Tom Graveney, Alan Jones - not a bad little number, I suppose.