Mahela Jayawardene believes Sri Lanka are capable of shocking England and winning the forthcoming Test series between the sides.Having scored over 25,000 runs across all three formats for Sri Lanka during a hugely successful international career, Jayawardene has since worked as a batting consultant for England, putting the 38-year-old in a unique situation when it comes to assessing the two sides.Speaking to Sky Sports, the Sri Lanka legend discusses the potential of this England team, the challenges facing a young Sri Lankan squad and why he believes Angelo Mathews can lead them to victory… On working with England...I first worked with them in September in the Pakistan series. When I was down here last year playing for Sussex, Paul [Farbrace] was quite keen that I come in and work with the boys. When Trevor [Bayliss] took over, they were quite insistent that I come in and work with them. Straussy has had pretty much the same mind-set. Jayawardene worked with England in the UAE and at the World T20 It was a good start in Dubai but it depends on my availability as well with work and other commitments, so the World T20 was my next assignment and I had one or two weeks with them. Ive now done the Test and one-day sides, so Ive enjoyed it.On Englands potential...Theyre a very exciting young group of players and theyve got a lot of potential because this group will probably play together for another five to six years minimum, with the 50-over World Cup and the next T20 World Cup. It should be exciting for this group of players.Its about attitude and focus in what they want to achieve. As a group, I think they are all very focused right now in what they want to do and theyve got all the options in the sense that batting-wise and bowling-wise, its about evolving, not staying in the same place and improving their game over a period of time. England have the potential to go a long way, says Jayawardene As long as they do that - we saw in the last World T20, no one gave them a chance because they were inexperienced - theyve shown how good they are when they play as a team and how much confidence they have.Its about evolving. As a player and a team, you cant stay in the same place, you need to keep improving. As long as theyre committed to that, then they could go a long way.On Englands team spirit...I think for any successful team that is crucial, you stay very much close together and that allows them to play on the field as well. They know what triggers people, what makes them react.Its just simple singles to here and there, its the understanding and if theyre under pressure or if they need a bit of help, that togetherness helps a team to perform as well.You see in them as well, they dont react badly if people make mistakes on the field. They are all in it together, which makes a huge difference.On touring England with Sri Lanka... Sri Lanka celebrate victory at Headingley in 2014 It was brilliant in 2014, I think one of our best tours overseas. We pretty much won everything, all three series, it was brilliant for us. Weve always enjoyed touring England, weve always performed well.I think the time before that in 2013, we lost 1-0 but we had a chance of drawing that Test match as well and we had a great one-day series, before that we drew 1-1. In Test cricket, we havent lost that many Test matches or series in England and in one-dayers, weve dominated pretty much, most of the time.On overcoming English conditions...I think its the perception that the ball is going to do a lot and the conditions and the weather so if you can get over those things - I mean the weather is something that you cant control. Its the same for the English boys as well so you just need to have the awareness of what you can control. A closer look at Englands squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka After that, its just about the perception of the moving ball. Yes, the ball does tend to move a little bit but its about your preparation and having a game plan against that. So trying to focus on those elements is crucial rather than saying we need to do a lot of things - I dont think you need to do a lot, you just need to have a game plan and adjust yourself accordingly.On a new-look Sri Lanka squad...No one is going to play forever. Kumar [Sangakkara] and I have been there for a long time but we decided - and everyone knew - that we were going to retire. They had ample time to prepare for that.Its a young team but the bowling attack, especially the Test bowling attack, is something that they will bank on because theyve got that experience, theyre the same unit that came to England two years ago. Dhammika Prasad was part of the bowling attack during Sri Lankas last tour of England The young batting group really has to perform, thats something the Sri Lankans will be concerned about, but you still have good quality players who can put runs on the board so if that happens, then it will be good for that bowling attack.Im excited about the young batsmen that theyve brought on this tour, itll be a great challenge for them at a young age to come to England and experience the conditions - its an investment for Sri Lanka going forward, thats how I see it and thats how everyone should see it as well.I mean if these guys learn quickly and adapt, then theyll be brilliant, theyll do really well, but the experience factor is something they will lack in that batting line-up but all teams go through that.On Angelo Mathews... Captain Angelo Mathews adds experience to a young Sri Lanka batting line-up He is very important in that group. Hes probably been the best batsman in the last two years or so and the youngsters will look up to him even though hes still 28. Hes been around a long time, so everyone will look to him.He had a great summer when we last came here, a brilliant hundred in Leeds for us to get through - back-to-back hundreds, in fact, at Lords and Leeds.He understands that but at the same time, he shouldnt put a lot of pressure on himself because that will curtail his game. Hes a very naturally gifted batsman who plays his shots and he should continue to allow himself to do that.On who will win... Obviously, Im a Sri Lankan and my heart, everything about me is about Sri Lanka. When I work with England, obviously its a different thing but apart from that, its Sri Lanka. My heart says they should do well but my head says England are a strong, experienced side and playing at home so the Sri Lankans come in as underdogs but if they really truly believe in their ability, then they should do well.Watch England take on Sri Lanka in the first Test at Headingley from 10am on Thursday 19 May, live on Sky Sports 2.Also See:England call up Vince and BallWho is Jake Ball?Root backs top order to deliverWatch England in the 90sNike Air Max Flair Nz . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Nike Air Max 270 Nz Womens .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. http://www.airmaxnzwholeale.com/cheap-air-max-97-1-nz.html . 10 Texas Rangers jersey for one last time. Young formally announced his retirement Friday after returning to Rangers Ballpark, his baseball home for all but the last of his 13 major league seasons. Nike Air Max NZ Mens . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. Air Max 1 Nz . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session.The first weekend of the college football season is loaded. Here are five things to know as you prepare to immerse yourself in football.BEST GAMENo. 1 Alabama vs. No. 20 USC? No. 10 Notre Dame at Texas? No. 18 Georgia vs. No. 22 North Carolina. No. 5 LSU vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. And thats just to name a few. Lots of interesting matchups from which to choose, but the best looks as if it will be the last.No. 11 Mississippi faces No. 4 Florida State in Orlando, Florida, on Monday night. The Rebels are in a bit of a reload season after losing three first-round draft picks that were the heart of a team coming off two straight New Years Six bowl appearances. There is still plenty for the Ole Miss fans to be excited about, starting with Chad Kelly, one of the best quarterbacks in the country, throwing to a bunch of speedy receivers.Florida State seems set everywhere but quarterback. Redshirt Deondre Francois takes over a team with national title hopes. Dalvin Cook is one of the best running backs in the country and safety Derwin James is a versatile playmaker on defense.Add in some SEC-ACC bragging rights and you have the game of the week.HEISMAN WATCHNo player could do more for his Heisman Trophy hopes in Week 1 than Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. The 15th-ranked Cougars open against No. 3 Oklahoma at NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans. If Ward, who passed for 2,828 yards, ran for 1,108 yards and accounted for 38 touchdowns last season, has a big game and leads the Cougars to an upset, he can vault himself into the heart of a crowded field of Heisman contenders that includes three of the top four vote-getters from last season.If Ward and the Cougars play a clunker, you can probably scratch him off the list of possible winners.NUMBERS TO KNOW-Longest current season-opener winning streaks:Florida -- 26. The Gators play UMass at the Swamp.USC -- 17. The Trojans face Alabama in Arlington, Texas.Ohio State -- 16. The Buckeyes host Bowling Green.-Nebraska coach Mike Riley and Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall each enter the season with 99 victories. The Cornhuskers open the season at home against Fresno State. Mendenhalls first game as Cavalierrs coach is home against FCS power Richmond.dddddddddddd(SLIGHTLY) OFF THE RADARBYU opens against Arizona at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, marking the return of Cougars QB Taysom Hill for a sixth season of eligibility.Hill lost most of each of the last two seasons to injuries. He also did a Mormon mission at the start of his career. So now at 26, a quarterback who was in the same recruiting class in 2009 as Matt Barkley, gets one more chance to lead the Cougars. When healthy Hill drew comparisons to Tim Tebow. He won a tight competition with Tanner Mangum to win the starting job.The Arizona game is the first in a string of high-level opponents for the independent BYU. Also on the schedule: Utah, UCLA, West Virginia, Toledo, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Boise State and Cincinnati. All of those teams played in bowl games last season. All but Cincinnati spent at least one week ranked.Regardless of how well the Cougars do, a full season from Hill will be a victory.COACH IN NEED OF A WINIts never too early to start the hot seat watch.Texas A&Ms Kevin Sumlin and Auburns Gus Malzahn enter the season with pressure to change the trajectory of their programs. Both start with huge home openers. The Aggies take on No. 16 UCLA and Auburn host No. 2 Clemson and Deshaun Watson.Big challenges and great opportunities to show things are headed in the right direction. Also, a chance to start 0-1 in front of the home crowd.For Auburn, a solid showing against a team that pushed Alabama in the championship game could make a loss in the opener palatable to Malzahns critics. Thats not necessarily the case for Sumlin. UCLA has the ranking and the star quarterback in Josh Rosen, but the Aggies are favored at home by a couple points. It is a winnable game. The Aggies are 1-6 at Kyle Field against ranked teams under Sumlin. Fall to 1-7, with an always tough slate of SEC West games still ahead, and things almost immediately get uncomfortable in College Station, Texas.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ' ' '