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England are aware of the Sri Lanka cauldron when they start the next week’s five-match one-day series, captain Paul Collingwood said here on Thursday.

“The hot conditions do favour the local team, it is one of the most difficult places to play cricket due to the weather,” Collingwood said, adding that not many England teams had done well in Sri Lanka in the past.

The England captain said they had a bunch of young players who were keen to prove themselves. “It is a challenge that most guys want to take on,” Collingwood said, expressing confidence in his young team.

England will be without star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff who is out through injury. “He is two players in one, so he will be missed,” Collingwood said. Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was not reading too much into his team’s 100 percent record in the last six one-dayers between the two teams.

“It is like starting all over again. We have had a few team changes since the World Cup. It’s a new series and if we don’t do well you will find that the opposition will come harder at you,” Jayawardene said. The first of the five matches will be played in the central town of Dambulla on Monday.

Source:Cricket News