Troubled Hussain feels heat

Collingwood was impressive during the opening Test too, having been pulled in at short notice to deputise for the ailing Hussain.

Dismissed cheaply in the first innings of his debut, Collingwood responded determinedly to make 36 and help England achieve a draw against the odds. Jimmy Anderson, yet to play a Test this winter because of knee and ankle injuries, is likely to return.

Sri Lanka have raised the temperature again ahead of Thursday's decider by describing England's failure to push for victory in Kandy as "staggering and strange".

There was no shortage of ill feeling during the drawn Second Test with Muttiah Muralitharan claiming he had been sworn at and insulted by Hussain. Then Graham Thorpe accused the home side of "telling tales out of school".

Now Sri Lankan coach John Dyson has fired the first shots in a psychological war leading up to what is certain to be another tense and, most probably, tetchy contest in the capital. Dyson, a former Australia Test batsman, paid tribute to Michael Vaughan's "fantastic effort" in making 105 at Kandy to put England well down the road to safety.

But the abrasive New South Welshman declared himself unimpressed with the visitors' approach after being set 368 for victory in what turned out to be 104 overs. They ended on 285 for seven.

"The pitch wasn't turning viciously and I would have thought there was a chance to rewrite the record books," said Dyson. "England settled for a draw. It was a staggering attitude.

"Vaughan batted beautifully. But I also thought that the England top order was where their experience lay. I find their attitude strange on such a good wicket that they played for a draw."

Vaughan and Co know Sri Lanka are the team under more pressure because they have twice put themselves into winning positions and then failed to deliver on the final day.

England's captain expressed some surprise at the home team's negative field placings in Kandy where they often had three men back on the boundary, even when it was obvious the visitors couldn't win. Duncan Fletcher, Dyson's opposite number, said: "I'm very reluctant to discuss other people's tactics."

Even so, he added: "They probably had some sort of plan but I felt in certain instances there could have been a couple of (more) guys around the bat. That would have put us under a lot more pressure."

Meanwhile, ICC match referee Clive Lloyd has denied reports he is 'monitoring' pace bowler James Kirtley's action. The 28-year-old was reported in 2001 and has worked on his problem with bowling coach Bob Cottam.