Anderson's Silver Lining in The Clouds   
England's cricketers suffered their second successive washout and their first series loss under new captain Michael Vaughan.The monsoons that prevented play in either of the last two one-day matches against Sri Lanka meant that Marvan Atapattu's side completed a 1-0 win.                        

"The wisdom in trying to play cricket in Colombo at this time of the year has to be looked at," said a frustrated Vaughan. But there was something for the skipper to smile about.   Opening bowler James Anderson's injured ankle is recovering sufficiently to give hope that he could be fit for the first Test starting on December 2.
 
Anderson was expected to miss out until the second Test because of a sprain incurred when he was playing squash last Wednesday, but now the chances are he could be ready for the Galle confrontation. "Jimmy is coming along nicely, but we don't really know where he is until he bowls," said coach Duncan Fletcher, who had called up Sussex paceman James Kirtley as cover.

Test Match Itinerary

1st Test - 2-6 December, Galle
2nd Test - 10-14 December, Kandy
3rd Test - 18-22 December, Colombo   

                              
       
Written by Martin Hardy on behalf of ISM