November 02 Saturday 2002
Gough out of opening Test despite verbal bouncers 

BRISBANE: Darren Gough won't play in next week's Ashes series opener at the Gabba here but has juiced up the Test leadup by firing some verbal bullets at the Australians.

The Yorkshire spearhead on Friday agreed with team management that his troublesome knee would not be ready for the first Test, leaving Glamorgan tearaway Simon Jones as his most likely replacement. 

Gough warned the Australians that Jones was an explosive quick and said England had disregarded the boastful predictions from Australian bowling trumps, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

Jones will play in Saturday's three-day game with Sheffield Shield champions Queensland at Allan Border Field while England weighs up injury concerns over opening batsman Michael Vaughan (knee) and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff (hernia).

But Gough will watch from the stands, despite bowling with some zest in the nets here on Friday.

England's coach Duncan Fletcher admitted the 32-year-old was capable of playing against Queensland but the tourists weren't willing to risk him if he pulled up sore next week.

"I'm bowling off my full run, I'm just about there, but the first Test has probably come a week too early," said Gough, who hasn't played a Test for 14 months.

"The team's more important than one individual," Gough said. "With me not having played a three-day game yet or a two-day game, it would be a helluva risk for me to play in this (Queensland) game. 

"If I didn't get through one of the guys who needed to bowl some more overs has missed out. It's important that the guys who are going to play in the first Test get some overs under their belt."

Gough wasn't expected to play in the first Test but his absence will be a blow for the England team, who are underdogs to beat Steve Waugh's world champions.

McGrath and Warne have supported that theory, with McGrath claiming England would have its hands full with an Australian second XI. 

"We're used to it. That's the Aussie way isn't it? We're a bit more reserved," Gough said.

"We've all read in the papers how the first morning, for some reason, decides the whole series, which is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever heard.

"Our guys are up for it. We're playing the best side in the world, that's an obvious statement again, but we all have a dream of winning the Ashes, whether it be this time, the next time or the one after." 

Gough said England wasn't baulking at Australia's ominous form against Pakistan in Colombo and Sharjah last month.

"We beat Pakistan in Pakistan, which not many sides have done, and we beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka - not many sides have done that either," Gough said.

"We've got a good side, and we believe we've got a realistic chance. If we bat like we did in the summer, and we bowl like we did in the sub-continent, we can beat anyone. The Aussies know that." 

England will probably turn to Andrew Caddick, Matthew Hoggard, Jones and left-arm spinner Ashley Giles to form its attack in the first Test while they wait for news on Flintoff.

The powerful Lancashire allrounder would need to play against Queensland to be considered for the Gabba Test.

Jones has played only one Test but he was impressive earlier this week, claiming five wickets against Western Australia at the WACA Ground.