Collingwood calls for last push

After a home series win over India was followed by a disappointing Twenty20 campaign, England's one-day programme enters its final week with two matches in Colombo - and their biggest achievement of all may lay ahead with victory in either of those games securing their first win in Sri Lanka and their first major series triumph on the sub-continent in 20 years.

And Collingwood said: "We've got a break coming up, a break we haven't had for a long time so this is one final push for us all. There's been no talk about going home, there's been no talk about getting on that flight - all the talk is about winning this next game."

He added: "I don't think we're getting too carried away. We've done nothing yet except win two games in Sri Lanka, but it would be great to win the series and everybody is desperate to win the series out here."

Before they can begin celebrating, however, England must first overcome a Sri Lankan side smarting from successive defeats and determined to turn the series around.

It is for that reason Collingwood is reluctant to talk too prematurely about the prospects of victory, saying: "At the moment it feels good to have won the first two games, but if we lose the next two games I'll be absolutely devastated because I know how much hard work and effort we've put into it."

At least England can be re-assured that Collingwood will lead them out at the Premadesa Stadium today after the scan on his troublesome right shoulder revealed there was bruising but nothing more.

"It's a niggle, nothing too major and I'm looking forward to playing," he added. "It's hung around a bit longer than I expected. I've not thrown or bowled in practice, but I'll be doing that in the matches and it would have been very hard to keep me out of the next two games."

England are expected to name another unchanged team, although opener Alastair Cook may come under pressure after scoring only 51 runs in his last six one-day internationals.

Sri Lanka are almost certain to be without all-rounder Farveez Maharoof, who suffered a back injury during Sunday's two wickets defeat in Dambulla and is not expected to recover.