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Before the series began, Sri Lanka's recent record run of victories had lifted them into fourth place. Sri Lanka had a slender two-point lead over fifth placed England. As a result, this series was a battle for fourth place in the ratings
Sri Lanka had won three series in a row as well as the Asian Test Championship. Their run of success included nine consecutive Test victories against India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, West Indies and Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka's previous best had been only three consecutive Tests wins in 1998.
The Sri Lankan's run of successful series had elevated them from the perennial holders of eighth place up to fourth place for the first time in history. Over that time they increased their rating from 982 ratings points up to 1049 points.
Only the Australians have, in recent times, bettered the 67-point increase to the Sri Lankan's achieved over this period. During late 1999 and 2000, Australia increased their rating by 90 points. During their nine Test victories, the Sri Lankan's also defeated mostly the same teams as Australia had.
However, while Australia's record of 16 victories was achieved mostly at home (11 at home and 5 on tour), the Sri Lankan's nine victories were achieved exclusively at home.
During the series in England, the Sri Lankan's record stopped dead in its tracks and Sri Lanka effectively crashed and burnt on foreign soil - again. Sri Lanka has not won a series away from home since their tour of Pakistan in early 2000.
During the English tour, Sri Lanka was shown to have a substantially substandard bowling attack once Muralitharan was not available, or not fully fit. The evidence lies in England being able to amass over 500 runs in three successive innings for the first time in history.
On foreign pitches, the Sri Lankan batsmen again struggled for consistency. Sri Lanka has shown the same problems in most venues including South Africa, Australia and the Caribbean. Their poor batting form was in spite of England not having their best bowling attack available. Darren Gough was injured for the series and Caddick bowled only 5 overs during the final Test.
England's increasingly dogged determination over recent years was again on show during this series. After losing their last home series to Australia, England showed during their winter tours to India and New Zealand that their own improvements over the last few years were not temporary.
The English batsmen played strongly throughout the series. England began badly and followed on against the Sri Lankan first innings of 555 runs in the first Test. However, they methodically went on to make 529 runs in their second innings to draw the Test.
From that point on, innings of 545 and 512 followed while the bowlers dominated the tourists during the second and third Tests.
England's victory in this series has lifted them into a deserved fourth position in the ratings. Their rating has increased to 1062 points. That is around the level held before they lost their home series to Australia in 2001 and within eight points of their most recent peak of 1070 points in March 2001.
Sri Lanka has swapped places with England and dropped into fifth place with a rating of 1034 points. Their lead over sixth placed India is now just five points.
The latest Test cricket ratings are: 1. Australia (1216); 2. South Africa (1133); 3. Pakistan (1079); 4. England (1062); 5. Sri Lanka (1034); 6. India (1029); 7. New Zealand (1017); 7. West Indies (1017); 9. Zimbabwe (911); 10. Bangladesh (838).
