It might not be directly about cricket, but as Sri Lanka’s tour of England kicks into life, their players might be forgiven for keeping a close eye on developments back at home. A long absence overseas is never easy at the best of times, but the Independent reports that Sri Lanka is sliding “sliding inexorably back towards civil war”.

"There has been a drastic increase in violence between government forces and the Tamil Tiger rebels since December, culminating in government air strikes on Tiger positions just outside Trincomalee . The air strikes came after the attempted assassination of the Sri Lankan army chief by a suspected Tiger suicide bomber. More than 100 people have died in the last two weeks alone."