Skip to main contentAccess keys helpA-Z index

[an error occurred while processing this directive]
watch listenBBC SportBBC Sport
Low graphics|Help
---------------
CHOOSE A SPORT
RELATED BBC SITES
Last Updated: Friday, 13 January 2006, 11:30 GMT
Gough upset by England exclusion
By Oliver Brett

Darren Gough
Fast bowler Darren Gough has no plans to retire from international cricket despite being left out of England's one-day squad to tour India.

Gough told BBC Sport: "I'm disappointed because I think I am one of the best bowlers at the end of a one-day match.

"You can't buy one of them at a local superstore - it takes years and years."

"I'm not a 20-year-old demanding a place. I can understand they want to go with the young guys but I still hope I have another World Cup left in me."

England named their Test and one-day squads for the spring tour on Friday.

Gough retired from Test cricket in 2003 to concentrate on playing one-day internationals and county cricket for Essex.

He opted out of the tour of Pakistan just before Christmas to spend more time with his children - and became a TV star by winning hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing.

I still hope I have another World Cup in me
Darren Gough

But he has been overlooked in a 16-man squad for the seven one-day internationals in India.

Instead, Simon Jones - a proven success in the Test arena - and youngster Liam Plunkett have been given the nod.

Gough, who has taken 235 wickets in 157 one-day internationals, said: "I've been unlucky with injuries and have had four knee operations but I've got one of the best strike rates ever for England."

And he said he would still be playing in 2007, the year of the next World Cup.

"I've got a year left at Essex and they've offered me another year after that."

D Graveney
The priority is for Plunkett, Anderson and Jones to get as much experience as possible
David Graveney
Chairman of selectors

Gough said England had some problems to address in the one-day arena, where they are less effective than in Tests.

He said: "They have to find someone to bowl at the death with Andrew Flintoff because at the moment that's where they're losing games.

"If they do well without me in India, then good on 'em. I'm a sports fan. Whatever's good for England is good for me.

"We also need more consistency in our batting.

"The Aussies can consistently score runs all the way down but we tend to rely on Marcus Trescothick, Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff."

Chairman of selector David Graveney said: "Darren asked the selectors not to consider him for the tour of Pakistan for personal reasons and we respected his wishes.

"With Liam Plunkett and James Anderson performing well in Pakistan, and Simon Jones now available for selection again, we feel the priority is for these players to gain as much experience of one-day cricket as possible ahead of the World Cup."

And former England skipper Alec Stewart understands why Gough was left out of the squad.

I would like to think he will be rewarded with an MBE for services to cricket
Alec Stewart

"England have been consistent in the past where if someone has made themselves unavailable for some of the winter, then they have been made unavailable for the whole winter by the selectors," Stewart told BBC Radio Five Live.

"That was certainly the case for both myself and Darren over the last few years."

And Stewart now believes that Gough's England career is now over.

"Unfortunately for Darren, his time is probably up," Stewart added.

"He is England's best one-day bowler but it is open to question whether he would be come the 2007 World Cup.

"England have not replaced him as someone who can ball yorkers at the end of an innings with a variety of slower balls.

"He will come out fighting but if he does retire, I would like to think he will be rewarded with an MBE for services to cricket."




WATCH AND LISTEN
Report: Gough loses England place



SEE ALSO


RELATED BBC LINKS:

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites


E-mail services | Sport on mobiles/PDAs

MMIX

Back to top

Sport Homepage | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Snooker | Horse Racing | Cycling | Disability sport | Olympics 2012 | Sport Relief | Other sport...

BBC Sport Academy >> | BBC News >> | BBC Weather >>
About the BBC | News sources | Privacy & Cookies Policy | Contact us
bannerwatch listenbbc sport