By Martin Gough

The mood at New Writtle Street was disconsolate at the end of the 2003 season.

Photos: Gough's career

Essex's big plans for their first season in County Championship Division One had come to nought as they found themselves third-from-bottom, back in Division Two.

A look at the averages showed why they will be spending next year in the lower tier.

The eight other teams in Division One - including Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, who finished below them - all had pace bowlers who took more wickets.

As they bid to return to the top tier, Essex desperately need a proven strike bowler.

Whether Darren Gough is their man is another question.

Spinner James Middlebrook led Essex's bowlers with 52, but by the time a spinner joins the attack, runs are usually on the board.

The nearest a pace bowler could come was Jon Dakin's haul of 32, and Dakin left for Leicestershire in November.

Young Zimbabwean Scott Brant had an impressive start to his first year of county cricket saw but was back at home with a knee injury by the end of July.

Captain Ronnie Irani's knee trouble turned him from opening bowler to specialist batsman in the space of 12 months.

GOUGH'S CAREER 2000-03 County Championship: 13 appearances, 53 wickets One-day domestic: 32 appearances, 43 wickets

"Dazzler" is one of England's best ever fast bowlers. His 229 Test wickets place him eighth in England's career list.

But since suffering a knee injury on tour in New Zealand in 2002, the 33-year-old has been a shadow of his old self.

In one-day cricket he is still able to pass muster. Accuracy replaced out-and-out pace during this summer's NatWest Series, and wickets came through pressure.

The first-class game is a different matter, as Gough showed when he struggled in two Tests against South Africa before announcing his retirement from the five-day game.

Yorkshire got just eight Championship appearances, and 21 wickets, out of the Barnsley-born bowler, and with a group of young prospects, could afford to let him leave.

Gough admitted the knee may be a problem but said he was at Essex, "to play cricket, as much as possible."

Asked whether his contract was performance based he replied with a grin: "No - I'm not a top-up card."

Gough and Hussain will be reunited at Chelmsford

Should he not be able to play regular Championship cricket, Essex have made a major commitment by agreeing a three-year deal.

However, Gough's role in the National League - where Essex's all-rounders to them to third place last year - the Twenty20 Cup or the knockout C&G Trophy could be decisive.

Essex's Second Division status did not deter him, even though he still harbours hopes of an England one-day recall, perhaps because coach Graham Gooch enjoys a high profile.

Gough stated his desire to be nearer to his two sons, Liam and Brennan, in Milton Keynes, and the presence of a few old buddies in the dressing-room also played a part.

Former England team-mates Irani and Nasser Hussain are both a similar points in their careers, when they will be around at county level far more.

Gough's best man, exiled Yorkshireman Paul Grayson, has been at the club for seven years and Middlebrook, another former Tyke, is also a close friend.

The chances of this group of mates spilling some champagne from a one-day trophy are greatly increased by Gough's arrival.

But Dazzler may not be the answer to the longer-term quest for Championship glory.