Paul Collingwood will hope to encourage Durham colleague Phil Mustard as much today as on the wicketkeeper's first-class debut.

Mustard makes his one-day international debut at Dambulla against Sri Lanka, who were the opponents at Riverside in 2002 when he scored 75 on his Durham debut.

The opposition that day included Chaminda Vaas and Collingwood made 190.

England's one-day captain has always been a fan of Mustard's batting and is expected to send him in to open the innings.

Collingwood refuses to dwell on the past as England's exciting one-day side attempt to build towards a bright future.

He is one of only two survivors - James Anderson is the other - who were humbled by Sri Lanka on their last visit to the Dambulla National Stadium, which is the stage for the start of the five-match one-day series.

Four years ago England were dismissed for 88 with Collingwood top-scoring with 31 and Sri Lanka cruised to a ten-wicket victory in only 13.5 overs, one of the heaviest defeats in England's one-day history.

''When I have memories like that I usually blank them out,'' said Collingwood. ''I don't remember too much about it other than it turned quite a bit.

''There's no point looking back, we need to look forward.''

Collingwood has addressed his young squad about the difficulties in playing intense one-day cricket, which was a characteristic of their superb NatWest Series win over India a few weeks ago, in one of the hottest and unforgiving climates in world cricket.

''We want to keep the same kind of principles we used throughout the India series - the intent with the ball, being aggressive and when you come to these places you also need your changes of pace."

Collingwood and his side are also going to have to contend with changes to the playing regulations, which are being brought in by the International Cricket Council today.

Free-hits, popular during the ICC World Twenty20 tournament, are to be introduced for front foot no-balls, an extra fielder will be allowed outside the inner circle during powerplays and there will be a mandatory ball change after 35 overs of each innings.

Having only just recovered from the demands of captaining in Twenty20 cricket, Collingwood remains unsure about the impact of the new regulations but believes it may help introduce spinners into the attack at an earlier point of the innings.

''It gives the captains a few more options," he said.

''With a third person outside the ring, it may help to bowl the spinners during that period."