Fast-bowler Darren Gough has rounded on all those who queried whether he should still be playing top-flight cricket after becoming the first Englishman to take 200 one-day international wickets.
Gough (34), a Yorkshire hero but now in his first season with Essex, became the 19th bowler in history on Sunday to reach the 200-mark when he had India’s Harbhajan Singh caught by England captain Michael Vaughan.
That match was Gough’s 134th one-day international, making him easily the most experienced member of hosts England’s attack in the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which starts later this week.
But when he retired from Test-match cricket last year, having taken 229 wickets in 58 matches, because of persistent knee trouble, many believed his desire to keep playing one-day internationals was simply holding up the progress of younger England bowlers.
And they questioned whether his fitness would allow him to fulfil his dream of playing at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.
Gough gave his detractors further ammunition by taking just six wickets in 10 one-day internationals this year before Sunday’s match, a poor return for a new-ball bowler.
But the veteran quick has never lacked confidence in his own ability and, speaking ahead of England’s Champions Trophy opener against Zimbabwe at Edgbaston on Friday, Gough insisted outsiders would have no say in when he retired.
”I have heard people say this might be the natural end. It is not for the media to decide when I retire, it is my decision, the captain’s decision, the selectors’ decision.
”It does annoy me,” Gough told reporters in London on Monday. ”I am not the oldest man in the tournament.
”Glenn McGrath [Australia] is older than me, Chris Cairns [New Zealand] is older than me — and I don’t hear people saying Glenn McGrath should go pack it in after this tournament.”
”I love proving people wrong. I think I deserve the opportunity if I can keep my fitness up,” added Gough, who was angered by his omission from England’s one-day squad for the last (northern) winter tour of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
”I wouldn’t be in this team if I wasn’t bowling well. The selectors have come and watched me four or five times and I have been bowling well.
”I am in the side for my experience. Bowling at the start and end of an innings is the hardest job in world cricket and there are not many bowlers who can do it well.”
Gough, reflecting on his 200 one-day international wickets, added: ”I am a proud man and to be the first Englishman to do anything is a very proud moment. It ranks up there as one of the special moments of my career.
”To go past my hero Ian Botham a couple of years ago was a cause for great pride and it doesn’t matter how my 200th came.
”When you have a career-threatening injury, it takes time to come back. But we worked out a formula to get back and playing a full season has given me confidence and I am getting stronger and stronger.
”I am happy with the way it is coming out — 88 miles an hour [about 140kph] isn’t bad for a medium-pacer!” — Sapa-AFP