England’s mission to rise to No 1 in the Test rankings by the end of the summer, restated recently as a priority by Andrew Strauss, has begun following a request that Middlesex play Saturday’s tour match against Sri Lanka at Uxbridge rather than Lord’s, writes Derek Pringle in the Daily Telegraph.

Strauss, who was presumably behind the move, makes his first appearance in the middle since returning from the World Cup.

Getting him back in the groove before the Test series begins in 12 days makes sense but so too does denying an inexperienced Sri Lanka side a preview of Lord’s, the venue for the second of the three Tests.

As the man whose England side holds the Ashes and as someone whose one-day goals have evaporated through retirement from that format, Strauss will be motivated to reaching the summit.