Gough hopeful of a return to fitness

He might be 32 years of age and has tried more comebacks than Frank Sinatra - with rather less in terms of success - but Yorkshire and England fast bowler Darren Gough is sure that he will be able to resume his career after a succession of knee operations.

Gough has spent virtually the whole of the last 12 months undergoing surgery on his knee, going through a period of rehabilitation, making a return to cricket and then breaking down again. England decided to take a risk on him for the Ashes tour, but Gough never took the field. He returned home before going to the United States where he was told that he would not need further surgery.

Despite that, he was considering retirement before the Yorkshire physiotherapist, Wayne Morton, convinced him that he could make a full recovery and still has a future in the game.

"I've had plenty of time to think about finishing my career and when I left Australia, I thought that was it," said Gough when talking to Sky TV. "I thought `you can't continue to keep having these operations'. But, I've worked hard with Wayne Morton and the other coaching staff at Yorkshire and they're confident I will play again.

"I am quiet positive but, when you've had endless operations, you do become a little wary. I've started bowling steadily off a six-yard run but I will not make a decision on whether I can play again until the start of the season.

"I've trained hard and the strength is coming back in my legs. I'm running, cycling and swimming every day. I'm trying to build up the strength around the knee so that it can take the strain.

"By the middle of March I would like to think I could be bowling off my full run without any problems."

Despite his assertion that "if I do come back, I can assure you I won't be any less of a bowler," doubts must surround any ambition he holds of getting back into the England team. With Jimmy Anderson coming through, Steve Harmison making an impression and Simon Jones hopefully overcoming his own injury problems, places might be limited at the top.

However, Gough's determination and refusal to be beaten should never be under-estimated and everyone who has admired the whole-hearted enthusiasm displayed by Gough over the years will wish him the very best of luck with his latest attempt to get back into cricket.