England find themselves in a bit of a race against time. In June next year, the final of the third cycle of the World Test Championship will take place at Lord's in London, and England run the risk of being just hosts and not participants for the third straight time. As it stands, they're seventh on the nine-team table with a win percentage of 36.54, which is more than 30 points in arrears of what table-toppers India have got.
ENG V SL, 1ST TEST
Depleted England out to improve WTC standing

Pope will be the stand-in Test skipper for the summer © Getty
The race begins on Wednesday then, in the first of their final three home games of this cycle. They arrive with the harrowing reality of