Darren Gough is bracing himself for another winter tour of toil and sweat as he prepares for a gruelling workload on Sri Lankan pitches specifically designed to nullify his threat.

The Yorkshire fast bowler was pictured looking upwards for divine intervention more than once during England's triumphant tour of Pakistan before Christmas, with the wickets becoming increasingly slow and unresponsive to his efforts.

He still managed to claim ten wickets, more victims than any other seamer during the series, and re-established himself as England's premier strike bowler after an inconsistent tour to South Africa the previous winter.

After a well-earned rest during the intervening six weeks, Gough is packing up again to set out with the rest of the England squad on Tuesday for eight weeks in Sri Lank, featuring three Tests and three one-day internationals.

''It's going to be very tough out there,'' he conceded. ''They don't have the same seam attack as Pakistan so I suppose the wickets will be even slower and turn more than they did out there.

''It's the only place I've never been to on the cricket circuit and people tell me the heat and humidity are incredible so maybe I will have to be used in shorter spells as a strike bowler.

''I imagine myself and Craig White will be used like that and Andrew Caddick will get the lion's share of the bowling, but we may not even play three seamers, which will be a big change for England in recent years.''

Using Gough in short, sharp bursts could be a way of protecting their premier bowler from his own enthusiasm.

It has been a long-running battle between England's management and Gough to try and prevent him burning out too soon, but after being successful with his approach for most of the last decade, he is unlikely to change his ways now.

''I've been told I shouldn't come in full pelt all the time but I believe it's my job to take wickets,'' stressed Gough. ''That's the way I play my cricket and that's what I'll try and do in Sri Lanka.

''I've been told I should be more defensive at times, but I'm not Glenn McGrath or Shaun Pollock. I'm Darren Gough and what you get is what you see.

''This tour is a far bigger challenge than we had in Pakistan. We've got to contend with the humid conditions.

''They are a totally different side at home to the one that's been playing recently in South Africa, where they are playing on fast and bouncy wickets.

''When we get to Sri Lanka, I can't see the ball carrying very far and it will be hard work for all the seamers.

''We're going to get flat pitches and have players like Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva coming at us and if we get it wrong it's not going to be much fun.''

l England go into the third and final under-19 Test against India in Hyderabad today knowing they must produce their best performance of the tour to level the series.

If the young tourists do not pull off a victory it will be the first overseas series lost by England at under-19 level since 1994-95.