Maynard: England can manage Murali

Muralitharan is closing in on the 708 wickets he needs to reclaim the world Test bowling record from Shane Warne and requires just five more scalps in the first Test which gets under way in Kandy but Maynard has backed England's batsmen to come out on top in the three-match Test series.

"Sri Lanka are a different prospect with Muralitharan back in their side - but England definitely have the capabilities to counter him," Maynard said. "A lot of the players have played and done well against him are in the squad and will have passed on vital knowledge to those players who have had less exposure against him."

He added: "Peter (Moores) will also have had his own ideas on how to play against him as well, so they will be well prepared in what I expect will be a very hard-fought series.

"Sri Lanka are good scrappers, they like a battle, and it is quite interesting that England put them in a position in the one-day series where they were able to question their ability."

Maynard, who played four Tests and 14 one-day internationals for England, has been impressed with the way the players have coped with the challenging conditions in Sri Lanka.

England claimed a 3-2 victory in the ODI series in October and have shaped up well in their two warm-up matches against a Sri Lanka Cricket Board President's XI.

The 41-year-old Glamorgan cricket manager also thinks the return of Vaughan to captain the Test side will be of benefit.

"It's always hard to go to the sub-continent to play international Test cricket," Maynard said. "The climate and the conditions can be very demanding but they have acquitted themselves very well in the matches so far.

"Everybody's roles within the team came off terrifically in the one-day series and it showed if you do stick with cricketers with character, you will get good results."