Sri Lanka bat as Bopara debuts

Sri Lanka have had time to regroup after their problems in Australia, while England have acclimatised to the energy-sapping conditions which will test them in three weeks. Now the two teams can face-off in an eagerly anticipated contest, at the picturesque Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy, as they both try to lay a sustained claim to being the best of the rest in Test cricket.

The home side struck the first significant blow when Mahela Jayawardene called correctly at the toss, and had decided to bat almost before the two captains shook hands. Michael Vaughan played it typically cool - "If you look at the stats sides have done well bowling first" - but admitted he would have "loved" to have batted first.

Four years ago England clung on for a draw on this ground with Vaughan, one of their two survivors from the game alongside Paul Collingwood, making a 333-ball 105 over the final two days. Sri Lanka have five players from that game, including Chaminda Vaas who plays his 100th Test after being dropped at Hobart against Australia, and Muttiah Muralitharan who is on the brink of Shane Warne's record on his home ground. The locals are certainly confident; the posters are already up and the fireworks primed for when the milestone is passed.

Sri Lanka's side is as expected with Dilhara Fernando retaining his spot ahead of the legspinner Malinga Bandara. The pitch is dry, but not so much as to warrant two specialist spinners. However, with Sanath Jayasuriya's underrated left-arm darts to call upon Jayawardene has extra options should the surface start to break up later in the game.

England's team was shrouded in secrecy during the build-up, but the final decision revealed a debut for Ravi Bopara at No. 6 - ahead of the unlucky Owais Shah - and the safety-first option of James Anderson to complete the fast-bowling trio alongside Ryan Sidebottom and Matthew Hoggard. Steve Harmison steamed in during the final net sessions, but it wasn't enough to allay fears that he could go AWOL at the crunch moment.

This series should be a compelling battle between two well-matched sides, but with three Tests it's vital to make the early running. The forays on this opening morning could set the tone for the next few weeks.

Sri Lanka 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Michael Vandort, 3 Kumar Sangakkara, 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Jehan Mubarak, 7 Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Dilhara Fernando, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan

England 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Michael Vaughan (capt), 3 Ian Bell, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Paul Collingwood, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Ryan Sidebottom, 9 Matthew Hoggard, 10 Monty Panesar, 11 James Anderson