Essex go aerial in bid to sign Gough

Darren Gough: where to now? Getty Images

Essex have emerged as serious contenders in the race to sign Darren Gough, with a local businessman offering to fly him to and from matches in a helicopter if it helps secure the deal.

Gough made it clear one of the reasons for him quitting Yorkshire was a desire to cut down on the amount of traveling he was doing from his Milton Keynes home. "Everyone else goes home after a day's play and sees their families," he told Sky Sports. "But unfortunately for me my children live down south and I can't just pop home for three hours and then nip back again for the next day."

Now Bob Weston, an Essex-based millionaire, has said that he will fly Gough around in his own helicopter. "I will make sure he gets there and back again, to help him cut down on journey times," Weston, who owns the Battersea Heliport, told the Mirror newspaper.

Graham Gooch, Essex's head coach, added that he wanted to speak to Gough. "We are always looking for top players," he said. "I think we would be keen to discuss something with him."

Warwickshire were the first county to be identified as being definitely interested in signing Gough, and Middlesex and Gloucestershire have also been mentioned as potential candidates.

"We are all trying to make contact with him at the moment," admitted John Emburey, Middlesex's coach. "In our position we would be interested, but I need to speak to the chairman of the cricket committee as well."