Pietersen takes his cue from Jayasuriya

The way Jayasuriya slaughtered the West Indies bowling on Sunday is sure to have sent a shiver through England's attack ahead of their key match against Sri Lanka here.

Pietersen was moved to remark: "Some of the shots I saw him play, I just wish that I could play them. I just hope he has used up all his runs in Guyana."

Less than three months short of his 38th birthday, Jayasuriya looks as dangerous as ever.

He retired early last year but since changing his mind and playing in his team's 5-0 summer thrashing of England, he has hit six one-day hundreds.

Whatever the ICC rankings say, that is a figure Pietersen can only envy, having passed three figures only three times in his 46 appearances despite making 13 other fifties.

"I think I am playing pretty well at the moment but the one thing I am putting pressure on myself to do is notch up more in the hundreds column," admitted the South Africa-born batsman.

The problem is that in the middle overs - the ones in which, according to their game plan, England are supposed to 'launch' after getting a solid start, - they will come up against Muttiah Muralitharan.

He also gains massive respect from KP, who deliberately spent yesterday's net session practising his slogging.

"Murali is the hardest bowler in the world to face, much harder than even Shane Warne. He never says much, he just winds you up by smiling and laughing. I call him the silent assassin."

Combined with Duncan Fletcher's warning that Sri Lanka are suited to these pitches, it is easy to see why there is little optimism. Andrew Flintoff was able to bowl in a prolonged morning practice but was not flat out.

He is still expected to play.