Gough still hopes to play one-day part for England

Darren Gough, England's premier fast bowler, yesterday played down fears that he will miss the whole of this summer's NatWest Triangular Series, which starts tomorrow at Trent Bridge with the home side's game against Sri Lanka.

Gough, England's highest one-day wicket-taker with 168 victims, played two games over the weekend in an attempt to prove his right knee is ready for the tournament, which also includes India.

"I played on Friday and then for Yorkshire Academy the following day, but I woke up on Sunday feeling sore," he said yesterday. "As a precaution it was decided to rest me. I'm not back to square one.

"Despite having a sore knee on Monday after two games in two days, I still wanted to play for Yorkshire's second XI against Nottinghamshire. But it was decided that it would be better if I sat out the game. So I didn't play, and everyone thought I was in serious trouble. The fact is I feel absolutely fine again now. I'm not 100 per-cent fit at the minute but I'm not far off.

"I'm desperate to get back playing again for England after what's been a pretty frustrating start to the summer. I won't be involved in the opening matches of the one-day series, but I'm hoping to play at some point.

"But no one's going to risk me. There's a big Ashes winter coming up and the series against India. I want to start playing now, but I'm being slowed down."

Nasser Hussain, the England captain, could have done with Gough for what will be a tough two and a half weeks of cricket. Following their embarrassing defeat to Wales on Monday, Hussain described the loss of the fast bowler as a "huge blow", and went on to say that the absence of Gough and Andrew Caddick, the Somerset fast bowler who is out for four to six weeks with a side strain, would be the equivalent "of Australia losing Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne".

The inability of Gough, who has had this problem since he returned from New Zealand at the end of February, to shrug off his injury is causing increasing concern, not just to the 31-year-old bowler, but also to England's selectors.

It is too early to start saying that Gough's career is on the line, but it is safe to say that, despite his upbeat forecast, he faces a huge test of character and his biggest challenge yet.

Gough's absence is not the only frustration for Hussain. The England captain feels that his side, like the other two in this tournament, should have had a week of preparation together and not have been playing one-day cricket for their counties.

Hussain said "As a side we are under-cooked, and as a country we have to put a lot more emphasis on one-day cricket and one-day contracts, especially with the World Cup coming up."

England, however, are not the only team to have problems with their bowling attack. India's best fast bowler, Javagal Srinath, is absent this summer and Sri Lanka are without Muttiah Muralitharan. With weakened bowling attacks all round, the sun out and the pitches flat this NatWest series could be a run feast.