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| July 14, 2003 | Monday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1424 |
Gough ready for Test recall
LONDON, July 13: Darren Gough has almost certainly played his way into England’s Test side and said on Sunday he was ready for the rigours of five-day matches against South Africa.
The injury-dogged 32-year-old Yorkshire fast bowler believes four weeks on the road with England playing one-day cricket has proved he can return to the Test game after a two-year absence.
“I’m confident I can do it. If there was a Test match tomorrow I could play — until I play a game like that I don’t know what my body’s capable of, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”
And England chairman of selectors David Graveney has praised the role Gough is playing in guiding rising star James Anderson.
Graveney said: “Darren is a major influence. When he marks out his run you can feel the response from the crowd — he is a hero.
“I was misquoted recently in saying that we wouldn’t consider Darren, that’s not the case. We just have to be sure that he can go the distance.”
He added: “To be fair, 10 overs one day and a break and then 10 overs the next day in one-day matches is different to bowling 25 overs in a Test match and then have to do it all again the following day.
“We have to make sure he is fit enough to do it. It’s worth saying that in the last two games Jimmy Anderson has become one of the best finds that we’ve had in the last few years, but he’s learning his way in one-day cricket and concedes a few runs.
“The bowling of Darren at the other end has been unbelievably good for us in terms of controlled spells. We will take all that to the meeting on Friday to select the Test side and see where we go.”
Meanwhile, South Africa cricketers Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis flew home on Saturday for compassionate leave before returning for the first Test starting on July 24.
Pollock will spend time with his pregnant wife Tricia while Kallis will visit his father Henry, who is suffering from lung cancer.
The pair will both return to England on July 18 and practise with the squad that day before the final first-class warm-up match of the tour against India ‘A’ at Arundel.—AFP/Reuters
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