KP wary of Sri Lanka heat

Kevin Pietersen believes the searing heat will be the biggest challenge facing England in their Test series against Sri Lanka, but admits his old nemesis of left-arm spin must also be tamed.

England have worked hard at acclimatising to the soaring temperatures and draining humidity by training in the middle of the day but Pietersen ranks it as the most physically demanding trip of his career.

He is also aware that Rangana Herath is waiting to test the theory that the 31-year-old has a blind spot against slow left-armers, and he said: "They've got a left-arm spinner, Herath, who bowls wicket to wicket and you saw against Pakistan what a guy like Abdur Rehman did to us. Left-arm spin is a huge part of the game now and it's not going to be easy at all."

He continued: "But it's not really the spinners (we have to worry about) out here, it's the heat. That will be the biggest threat to us.

"It's unbelievable, make no bones about that, but it's something we have to try and get over as quickly as possible.

"I'm trying to just not do too much and to conserve a lot of energy, not run around like a crazy fool like you do in England or Australia or South Africa, where you can afford to do that.

"It's something we have to try and control. On days off we need to get out, swim in the sea, spend some time in the sun and let your body get used to it.

"If you only spend time in the dressing room or in the ground and you try and take conditions in like that it's not going to work. You need to get out as much as you can."