Live Cricket Score of England vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Day 1 at Leeds

Sri Lanka will have fond memories of playing at Headingley. Back in 2014, the visitors scripted a dramatic victory by a 100 runs in the second and final Test, at the very ground, when a dogged James Anderson fell off the penultimate ball of the game, giving Sri Lanka their maiden Test series win on English soil.

However a lot has changed since then. Sri Lanka's top-order has been weakened by the international retirements of batting stalwarts Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Dhammika Prasad, who claimed five-for in the famous win, has also been forced to pull out of the first Test with a shoulder injury sustained during a warm-up game. In their absence, experienced campaigners including Mathews, who set up the game two years ago with a heroic second-innings ton, Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne will be key to their fortunes. The pace duties will have to be shouldered by the relatively inexperienced troika of Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Pradeep.

England, on the other hand, look more settled. This will be their first Test assignment since the Ashes triumph last year and the away series win in South Africa. Alastair Cook, the leader of the pack, is on the verge of a scaling a rare peak. The captain is 36 short of joining the elite 10000-run club in Test cricket and becoming the first player from the country to the achieve the feat. James Anderson too, is only wicket short of equaling Kapil Dev's record tally of 434 Test scalps.

Alex Hales and Nick Compton, who along with Cook form the home team's top-order, are in desperate need of runs and the team management would like them to step up. However, in Joe Root, who recently bagged a golden hattrick at England's annual awards and local hero Jonny Bairstow, England have fewer concerns of form in the middle-order. James Taylor's unforeseen retirement could see James Vince getting his maiden Test cap. Jake Ball, the other uncapped face in the squad, will have to wait a little longer for his Test debut with Steve Finn expected to partner Stuart Broad and Anderson.

The odds are heavily in the favour of the home team who go in as favourites given their settled line-up, however history goes against them. England have recorded as many as four losses at the venue since the year 2007 but the hosts would be keen to set the record straight and avenge the series defeat from two years ago.

James Vince has been handed his Test cap. He will slot into the England middle-order and will get his chance early in the game as Angelo Mathews opts to bowl.

In the Sri Lankan camp, Dasun Shanaka, the young all-rounder, makes his debut.

Some of the Englishmen are busy plying their trade in the Indian Premier League, but the Leeds Test has their attention.