After 12 years in Test cricket, Michael Atherton believes the current England side is fast-approaching the best he's played in.

Mike Atherton Photo CricInfo

For years he has produced battling innings to stave off defeat after defeat, but now Atherton is enjoying the comparative novelty of playing match-winning innings.

Such is the Lancashire opener's confidence after three successive series victories that he believes England could give Australia a run for their money this summer.

And with the opening game approaching on England's tour of Sri Lanka, Atherton said: "This side is shaping up to be the best I've ever played in.

"There are improvements which need to be made, but if we keep our current form and do well on the tour to Sri Lanka, there's every reason to think we could give the Aussies a real game this summer.

"We've got a good balance at the moment, with a number of players at their peak and some very good young players like Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan coming into the picture, and we've got tremendous team spirit.

"That is not to say we're the finished article by any means. Our fielding, for instance, has not been as good as it should have been and we haven't been able to snap up more half-chances, but generally there is a solid feel about the side."

But before Atherton can start contemplating taking on the Australians, he has a more imminent challenge to tackle – the spin bowling of Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan.

"It will be a very tough series," he said. "We expect their pitches to turn and while we played the Pakistan spinners well enough, they haven't got one in the mould of Muralitharan.

"But if we can get through that without any great setbacks we really will be in the mood for the Ashes next summer."

However, he warned that England could not afford to rest on their laurels. "We are now picking, by and large, the best players and sticking with them, but we must not sit back," he said.

"The Australians are always looking for ways to improve their side. "Even when they're on a massive winning roll, as they are now, they have managed to introduce different players. We have to keep trying to get better and better."

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