England seamer Ryan Sidebottom is confident he has the ability to take wickets on the sub-continent as he prepares for the one-day international series with Sri Lanka.

Sidebottom missed England's disappointing showing at the ICC World Twenty20 because of a side injury but is in the squad for the five-match series, which starts on October 1.

The 29-year-old has returned to action for Nottinghamshire recently and should be involved when Paul Collingwood's side play a warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Board President's XI at the Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo on Friday.

Question marks have been raised as to whether Sidebottom's bowling style would be suitable for conditions in the sub-continent, but the left-armer is certain he will take wickets.

''You can only improve as a bowler if you test yourself in different conditions,'' he said.

''I am really looking forward to doing that. I'll be working with the coaching staff, preparing as thoroughly as possible and getting my plans right for playing out there.

''Having spoken to Darren Gough about how to bowl and get wickets out in the sub-continent I realise it will be a different challenge for me, but I believe I will be able to get wickets.

''It will be tough at times against some of the Sri Lanka batsman so I will have to out-think and frustrate them by putting the ball on the spot.''

Former India captain Rahul Dravid said after their NatWest Series defeat that the real test for England's bowling attack will be where the ball does not seam and swing.

But Sidebottom claims while Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann will be crucial on what are likely to be dry, pitches, seamers will have a huge part to play.

''Of course the spinners are important on sub-continental pitches,'' he said. ''But Chaminda Vaas has taken a lot of wickets for Sri Lanka and shown there is a place for seamers.

''He has shown that you do not have to steam in and bowl at 90mph to be a quality international bowler on those types of pitches.

''I might not be able to get orthodox swing all the time but I am sure I will be able to get the ball to reverse a bit.

''I love curries so I should be OK on that front, although with the heat out there I might have to get my hair cut!''

Giles Clarke was yesterday named as the new chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, leading rival Mike Soper to quit the governing body.

Clarke, the Somerset chairman, will succeed David Morgan, who is to take over the presidency of the International Cricket Council, and serve until the spring of 2009 after defeating Soper in a second election.

Soper subsequently resigned his position as deputy chairman, a post he occupied for five years.

The first election was tied at nine votes apiece with one abstention but Clarke gained a 12-6 majority in the second ballot, and the switch of camps by some has left Soper disillusioned.

Soper said: ''It is with great regret that I am tendering my resignation as deputy chairman. Over the last five years I have endeavoured to unite this great game of ours and bring a sense of balance and fair play to both the Test match grounds and non-Test match grounds.

''I am saddened that nine county chairmen told me to my face that they were supporting me. I have now found that three individuals have, in fact, lied.