Gough is Back But Future is Uncertain

Darren Gough said he would return, and yesterday he made good on his promise. More than six months ago, his knees giving out, he limped dejectedly from the England team's Brisbane hotel and apparently away from international cricket for ever. Yesterday he was selected in the 15-man squad for the one-day internationals against Pakistan, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Given that one of six uncapped players in the party has a former Dr Who in the family, the Yorkshire fast bowler is giving an appropriate impression of making time stand still. He is not yet 33, scarcely in his dotage, but in a squad which according to the chairman of selectors David Graveney "has been chosen with the next World Cup firmly in mind" he is an anomaly.

"Gough's inclusion is clearly an exception to the rule," said Graveney yesterday. "But he is a proven match-winner who was badly missed during [this year's] World Cup and his inclusion will add experience to our bowling attack. As well as providing a strike capacity, especially during the period between the 15th and 35th overs, we also believe he can play an important role in passing on advice to younger bowlers within the squad. To have someone of his talents in the dressing room, nets and middle is priceless."

He will be 36 by the time the World Cup comes round, two years older than Andy Caddick felt was sufficient to call it a day. Injury, particularly to his knees, has afflicted him, precluding his participation in any Test since the final Ashes match at the Oval two seasons ago and allowing him only 16 of 40 one-day internationals during the same period, none of them since the final against India at Lord's last year.

He is on a three-month trial with Yorkshire and has suffered further setbacks in his attempt to re-establish himself, with a hamstring strain causing him to miss three weeks. So his selection now is a gamble. The renaissance may be short-lived but the dressing room will be bouncing again like a budgie on Trill.

Most of the England squad are under 30, and it is hoped that from them will develop a strong nucleus who will be approaching their peak by the time the 2007 World Cup arrives. A number of senior cricketers were considered but rejected, including Graham Thorpe and Adam Hollioake.

Graveney would not be drawn on whether Gough's participation would be short-term or whether indeed he was viewed as a genuine World Cup candidate. "In the light of his injuries we have to take it step by step," he said. "It is typical of him, though, that once he is in possession he has a habit of not letting others come in. So let's just see how he goes for a bloke who has been injured for two years."

Gough himself was upbeat about his selection. "I thought I had a chance," he said yesterday, "but until you get the call you never know, although I knew my experience at some stage would come into it.

"I've worked hard and been bowling for three months. I got a little hamstring strain but it was not serious - I was only out for three weeks and with the injuries I've had that is nothing. I think in one-day cricket you've got to have a bowler who can take wickets."

Among those who will benefit from Gough's 111-match experience will be the Worcestershire seamer Kabir Ali and the Somerset paceman Richard Johnson, another whose career has been blighted by injury. It emerges that had he been fit it would have been he rather than James Kirtley who was named in the squad for the first Test against Zimbabwe. Kirtley has been part of England's one-day plans for a while but misses out now because of Johnson's wicket-taking capacity. The Sussex bowler has managed only seven wickets in his nine one-day internationals.

As expected Vikram Solanki gets a recall after three years and there are call-ups for Anthony McGrath, Robert Key, Jim Troughton and Rikki Clarke. The Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper Chris Read also makes the squad despite his injured right thumb.

"It is cracked rather than displaced," explained Graveney. "Our medical officer Peter Gregory thinks it is borderline but obviously we would like him to play after a fantastic winter which has continued with Notts this summer."

One-day squad

Michael Vaughan (capt) 26 caps, age: 28

Kabir Ali 0 caps, age: 22

James Anderson 14 caps, age: 20

Rikki Clarke 0 caps, age: 21

Andrew Flintoff 52 caps, age: 25

Ashley Giles 24 caps, age: 30

Darren Gough 111 caps, age: 32

Steve Harmison 5 caps, age: 24

Richard Johnson 0 caps, age: 28

Robert Key 0 caps, age: 24

Anthony McGrath 0 caps, age: 27

Chris Read 9 caps, age: 24

Vikram Solanki 8 caps, age: 27

Marcus Trescothick 61 caps, age: 27

Jim Troughton 0 caps, age: 24

Internationals

June 17 Eng v Pak, 20 Eng v Pak, 22 Eng v Pak.

NatWest Series

June 26 Eng v Zim, 28 Eng v SA, 29 Zim v SA, July 1 Eng v Zim, 3 Eng v SA , 5 Zim v SA, 6 Eng v Zim, 8 Eng v SA, 10 Zim v SA,12 final.