Gough still hopes for England spot

Darren Gough - always up for an England place © Getty Images

The unstoppable Darren Gough has not only brought himself back from the brink of retirement, but he's bidding once more for an England spot. Gough dithered for six months over signing his Essex contract, and Yorkshire had to ask him three times to be captain before he agreed.

But the move has so far paid off. A revitalised Gough has led Yorkshire to two crushing Championship victories, and he has rediscovered his verve. Now he thinks he's still got what it takes to play for England in the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa this September.

"I want the selectors to know I'm available," he wrote in his Metro newspaper column. "That's the next global one-day tournament and I'm already excited by the prospect."

The last time he made his feelings so clear - using the fame from Strictly Come Dancing as a platform to announce he was still up for England's one-day side - the selectors listened to him. They brought him back last summer for two matches against Pakistan, where he took 0 for 72 from 12 overs. He was overlooked for the World Cup.

But now he's ready to be heard again, saying with no little modesty: "I have had quite a bit of Twenty20 success. Batting at No. 3 and bowling at the death, I've been a pretty effective operator. I know the selectors will be looking at younger people and I've no problem with that but I am more than happy to represent my country again."

In his column, Gough focussed exclusively on Twenty20 cricket, without even a nod to England's one-dayers against West Indies and India this summer, which suggests that he doesn't see himself in the frame for these matches. In the meantime, he can devote his energies to county cricket.