James Anderson's Best Test Performances outside England by country

3-62 and 1-36 vs Sri Lanka at Colombo, April 2012

Anderson celebrates the wicket of Thirimanne, Sri Lanka v England: 2nd Test - Day One, on 3 April 2012.

Though not Anderson's best bowling returns statistically, this performance from Anderson provided his team with their best series result in the island nation in eleven years. Having lost the first Test of the two-match series, Sri Lanka decided to bat first after winning the toss during the second Test at P Sara Oval in Colombo.

Getting off to a steady start on a seemingly flat wicket, Sri Lanka were shocked by three back-to-back wickets off the bowling of James Anderson. Sri Lanka lost their top three - Dilshan, Sangakkara and then Thirimanne - all in the space of nine runs. With Sri Lanka struggling at 30 for 3, Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera led the rescuing act. Samaraweera and Angelo Matthews put on the fifties, while Mahela scored a century, but still Sri Lanka could only manage a first innings score of 275.

England scored 460 in their first innings, thanks to a swashbuckling 151 from Kevin Pietersen and 94 from Alastair Cook. Even with seven of Sri Lanka's batsmen scoring runs in the double figures, Sri Lanka could only set the visitors a 94-run target, which was easily chased. Anderson's inspiring spell on a flat top ensured England would not lose a series in Sri Lanka for the first time in eleven years. England would be hoping to better this result in the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, which begins in less than a month's time - with Anderson being available for the Tests.