Stewart facing age old problem

Test cricket, though, is a rolling programme and England's selectors had already decided to take a leap forward.

They were sufficiently encouraged by James Foster's performances in India and New Zealand to make the Essex youngster their contracted keeper for this summer's Test series and only went back to Stewart because the new No 1 broke his arm during a Chelmsford net session.

Foster is now ready to start playing again at county level and should be fully fit for the season's second Test series, against India, in late July.

That doesn't compel England to omit Stewart and pick him, but the man in possession this week could do with runs, catches, stumpings - you name it - at Old Trafford to remind everyone he will take some replacing.

"I'm not putting pressure on myself," insisted Stewart. "It's a bonus I've played since the start of this series. I've been pleased with my keeping and, as for the batting, if you don't get a hundred every innings you don't cry about it."

Stewart's work behind the stumps while helping England to take a 1-0 lead has been almost faultless and 40 runs from three innings doesn't tell anywhere near the whole story because he was run out and then left not out at Lord's. "The selectors know what I can do, I know what I can do and then they pick their sides accordingly," added Stewart.

"You are judged by how you perform. I'm a young 39-year-old. There are some old 32-year-olds. The age thing is an easy line to use when talking about me. David Seaman is 38 but he's England's best goalkeeper so he plays."

And so will Stewart at Old Trafford, where England's cricketers need to keep the flag flying.

They won so comprehensively in Birmingham - by an innings and plenty - that it is hard to see Sri Lanka fighting back to square the series. But, then, Pakistan were in a similar position 12 months ago, only to emerge triumphant from Manchester.

That defeat ended England's hopes of securing a fifth consecutive series victory. Now they have gone four series without success and know it is time to put a new entry in the profit column.

Their biggest worry, apart from Muttiah Muralitharan's return to his old county ground, is that most of Sri Lanka's brightest stars have yet to shine - and are overdue.

Dashing batsmen Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara have not made a 20, never mind a hundred, between them so far and leading fast bowler Chaminda Vaas has only two wickets in 106 overs.

England (from): M Trescothick ( Somerset), M Vaughan (Yorks), M Butcher ( Surrey), N Hussain (Essex, capt), G Thorpe (Surrey), J Crawley (Hants), A Stewart (Surrey, wkt), A Flintoff (Lancs), A Tudor (Surrey), A Giles (Warwicks), A Caddick (Somerset), M Hoggard (Yorks), S Jones (Glamorgan).

Sri Lanka (from): M Atapattu, S Jayasuriya (capt), K Sangakkara (wkt), M Jayawardene, A de Silva, R Arnold, H Tillekeratne, C Vaas, N Zoysa, C Buddika, D Fernando, M Muralitharan, R Perera.

Umpires: S Bucknor (WI), D Orchard (SA). TV Replays: N Mallender. Referee: G Viswanath.

First Test (Lord's): Drawn. Second Test (Edgbaston): England won by an innings and 111 runs, Third Test (Old Trafford): Tomorrow-17 June.

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