CRICKET/Ashes Countdown: England's talismanic fast bowler Darren Gough was last night coming to terms with the fact that his distinguished international career may be over.
The 32-year-old Yorkhireman had been determined to return to full fitness for the Ashes series against Australia which starts in Brisbane on Thursday following a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
But he cut a glum figure in the team hotel yesterday as he prepared to fly to the English academy in Adelaide for intensive treatment as a last-ditch effort to cure the problem that has plagued his right knee, preventing him playing any meaningful cricket for the past 14 months.
The joint, which has undergone three operations in the last year, had suffered some swelling and discomfort after he bowled two spells in the nets at the Allan Border Field on Saturday, as England began their three-day game against Queensland.
Now he will receive one-to-one treatment and will also see a knee specialist later in the week.
With Gough suffering another setback in his quest for fitness and with the Durham fast bowler Steve Harmison plagued by shin splints, England have called in Surrey's Alex Tudor from the academy as a replacement.
Gough could not hide his disappointment. "I felt I was nearly there with the recovery and ready to start playing again," he said.
"What I want to do now is to work hard at the academy and give myself the best possible chance of getting fit again for the remainder of the winter."
"It is very frustrating," agreed the England coach Duncan Fletcher. "He had been making good progress and had done everything we had asked in terms of conditioning and strengthening work."
"We were hoping he could play grade cricket this weekend. But the priority is that he gets intensive treatment and expert medical guidance. At this stage we cannot put a time frame on his recovery."
News of the other England injuries is better however, with batsman Michael Vaughan and all-rounder Andy Flintoff coming through the last three days unscathed. Vaughan made a century against Queensland, his fourth in seven innings for his country, as England drew their final warm-up match.
- Guardian Service
