Matt Prior column

It's been two weeks now since we arrived in Sri Lanka and, so far, pretty much everything has been going according to plan.

It is a shock to the system when you first arrive here because the heat is just so intense, and it has been vital - and encouraging - that we've come through two tour matches in good shape.

Obviously, we spent a tough couple of days in the field in the first game against a Board President's XI, but after that we all enjoyed some good time in the middle.

And then to battle back from a 164-run first-innings deficit in the second match was a real good effort.

Of course, it would be great if every time we went out to bat we reeled off 500 and all the batsmen got a hundred.

But when it doesn't work out like that you have to prove you can bounce back and turn it around - and that's exactly what we did.

The bowlers - Matthew Hoggard in particular - turned it on in their second innings and then to knock off the final runs on day three was very pleasing.

It's given us all a nice boost and, on a personal level, to hit the winning runs in another unbeaten innings was good.

It's only when you get out in the middle that you get to test the things you've been working on away from the game and I have to say I'm very happy. My balance is good, my feet movement is good and I'm timing the ball well.

However, it's how you do in the Tests that really counts so the hard work is only just starting I'm sure.

Away from the cricket, it's been good to see a bit of Sri Lanka.

One of the many, many benefits of playing international cricket is being able to travel the world and see so many sights, different cultures and ways of life and I love that.

I was here in 2005 on an 'A' tour and it's a beautiful country that has really developed.

On Wednesday, we were given the choice to take a trip to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.

Hoggy, Monty Panesar and Ravi Bopara were a few of those who went and they ended up getting a ride on the elephants' back and all sorts.

A few of the other lads opted out of that to grab a quiet round of golf in the beautiful sunshine of Kandy.

I, however, did neither of those things. Unfortunately, Stuart Broad, James Anderson and I have got a bit of a syndicate going on and we all pitched up at the hotel in the morning, dropped our bags in our room - and played Championship Manager all day.

I know - I'm a grown man and, honestly, computer games are not normally my thing - but it's so addictive!

We made a deal whereby you couldn't take over a Manchester United or a Chelsea or anything - we have to take a lower league club and build them up.

Obviously, I've gone with Brighton - and I am slowly but surely ruining them. I don't really know what I'm doing wrong but it's clear I'd never make a football manager!

What makes it worse is that Broady's already taken Nottingham Forest into Europe. That said, he did cheat - he took over Chelsea and bought three of his own players for �30m each, giving himself a transfer budget of �90m!

He's put that to use while Jimmy's Burnley and my Brighton struggle by with �120,000 or whatever it is.

There's no money on it - but the trouble with sportsmen is that sooner or later it gets seriously competitive and it's already the first thing we talk about over breakfast of a morning.

Furthermore, and I'm going to look like a right badger when I admit this as well, I've also become utterly addicted to Prison Break.

A few of the lads recommended it and so I bought the box sets at the airport - and I watched series one within the first week! It's the best programme ever, honestly.

Now I'm just trying to catch up with series two so I don't have to leave the room when anyone talks about the ending!

However, all of us know we're out for one reason and one reason only - to win a series.

The work ethic of this squad is second to none and while we all enjoy each other's company, nothing brings a team together better and faster than achieving something as a unit through sweat and tears.

That's what we've been building over the past few months - and we're all fully focused on what promises to be a tough series here.

We know the challenges ahead and all of us are putting the hours into training, the gym and our preparation.

But it's also important for us all to enjoy time away from the game when we're away because otherwise tours can get far too intensive and pressurised.

Out of 24 days out here, we'll be playing Test match cricket on 15 and practising or preparing on most days outside of that.

We have to get the balance right to ensure we are at the top of our game - physically, mentally and technically, when the Tests come around.

If we can do that, we give ourselves the best chance of coming away from here with what would be a brilliant series victory.

It'd be fantastic to come back with that under my belt - not least so my apology to the Brighton fans for ruining their club on Championship Manager goes down well!

Matt Prior was speaking to Sam Lyon.

Source: BBC Sport