Alec Stewart will this week equal the record number of appearances for England in Test cricket. Stewart, 39, will draw level with Graham Gooch, on 118 Tests, in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford.

It's a ground which holds happy memories for Stewart, who played in his hundredth Test there against the West Indies in 2000, making a century on the Queen Mother's 100th birthday.

"Goochie was a great player, the one England player I respect more than any other that I've played with in my time," Stewart said. "It's an achievement to have England's equal leading Test appearance record and it shows that you can perform over a length of time.

"But I'm not a big one for saying I've played more than anyone else - I'm more concerned with playing now and playing well. To have had a career spanning from 1990 until now and hopefully a bit longer is a good achievement.

"I've always set myself goals. Two years ago I wanted to be involved in the Ashes series last year, which I was, and I would now like to be involved up to and including the World Cup.

"There's always a next goal, and if I'm in then I'll be really happy, and if not then I can look back on a good career. I always said when I started off that I wanted to play 25 Tests for England, because if you do that then you can say you've had an England career.

"To have actually got to 118 means that I've done a bit better than an alright career - if I get more than great and that's what I'm aiming to do.

Many were ready to write Stewart off as a Test player last April, when 22-year-old James Foster was given a central contract. But Foster's misfortune (he broke his arm in the nets at Chelmsford) let Stewart unexpectedly back into the Test arena.

Although he has yet to make a big score in the series against Sri Lanka, Stewart's performance behind the stumps has matched those expected of him over the years he has been required to fill the role.

"I'm not feeling the pressure in any way. It's a bonus that I've played since the start of this series through James' misfortune and I have approached it just like any game I've played and I have looked to enjoy every game I've played.

"It's nothing to do with me - it's all down to what the selectors do. When you bat down at six or seven, sometimes you get in when they're four down for not many and you have time to build an innings and other times the innings is set. The only chance I've really had of batting was at Edgbaston when I batted for an hour and then got a good delivery and was caught at short leg.

"Talking about my age is easy, but it should be more about how people perform - if you look at David Seaman, he is 38 and there are younger goalkeepers pushing him, but he's the best so he plays."

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