Colly eyes special Test

England's final Test against Sri Lanka in Galle sees Paul Collingwood returning to the scene of his debut.

Watch Sri Lanka v England live on Sky Sports 1 from 5am on Tuesday, or log on to skysports.com.h3> England's final Test against Sri Lanka in Galle sees Paul Collingwood returning to the scene of his debut, and he admits it will be a special game for him. The match will see the return of Test cricket to the ground at Galle for the first time since the Boxing Day tsunami struck in 2004. Along with the significance of the match for Sri Lanka, it is also the same ground as 31-year-old Collingwood made his England debut on. Ground staff have been working hard to get the reconstructed stadium ready in time for the Test, but heavy rain has not helped their cause. Although practise conditions have not been the best for England, Collingwood says they have made nothing of it and are respectful of what it means to the locals to stage the game. "Emotional is a fitting word to use," said Collingwood of the upcoming match. "When we came down on the bus yesterday the mood changed the further we travelled. There was a fairly sombre atmosphere as we got nearer. "The events that happened here three years ago means you have to put everything into perspective and give them a lot of credit for what they've done to the ground. "We are just going to have to get on with it. It is going to be a very sad occasion in many ways but we have seen how the Sri Lankan people have reacted to such a disaster. They are trying to rebuild their lives and we will try to put some smiles back on their faces. "Hopefully with the sunshine out - there are a few more days yet until the Test match - the conditions out on the park will be fine."

Series struggle

England are up against it in Sri Lanka, with the hosts 1-0 up in the series with just the third Test to play. Collingwood's Test debut came in Galle in 2004 when, after Nasser Hussain pulled out ill on the first morning, he helped save the contest. "Nasser obviously went down with a bit of a virus at the time," Collingwood recalled. "I remember bowling in the nets across here, trying to bowl Chaminda Vaas-type in-swingers from around the wicket at the boys, trying to prepare them as I usually did. "All of a sudden I got the call very late on. It was obviously a very proud moment and it is a place which always sticks in my memories. I love the place. "We did very well that final day, I remember Hoggy playing and missing a few times late on as the darkness was coming in and we managed to save it. "Obviously this time we will have to go out there, try to take 20 wickets and win the game."

Murali battle

Muttiah Muralitharan is Sri Lanka's main weapon and Collingwood admits that he does find difficulty in facing Test cricket's leading wicket taker, especially in the fading light. "I picked him pretty well on the last tour," Collingwood said. "But I have gone through little patches where I have thought 'yeah, I am picking him' but then a couple of balls have come out and it's like 'I didn't expect it to be doing that'. "I have found the light different as well: when you play him in poor light he is harder to pick. "Obviously the rotations on the ball but also seeing the hand come over. It is different, so I am just scrapping at the moment a little bit."