Gough ruled out of second Test too

England's bowling problems deepened further on Wednesday after Darren Gough was ruled out of the second Test against India.

Gough, already out of the first Test at Lord's starting on Thursday, has been advised to rest his injured right knee for a further two weeks.

The Yorkshire bowler felt pain in the joint during a county match against Lancashire over the weekend. He saw a specialist on Tuesday and underwent a scan that revealed no further damage, the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement on Wednesday. His knee, however, was still inflamed.

"People have to bear in mind that Darren Gough hasn't played in a first class game for nearly a year now and you can't risk him in a test match," England captain Nasser Hussain told a news conference on Wednesday.

"Darren will have to go off and play some county cricket. What happened the other day in the Rose match could have happened here on Monday or in the second test match or in the third test match or in Australia."

"Darren has to go away and prove he can bowl for two days running and in a first class game. The management of Gough from now onwards is going to have to be very simple.

"He has to go away and bowl two or three days running and bowl full out to be considered for a Test match. We now know at the moment he can't get through two days running."

The spearhead of the England attack, Gough has not played a Test for 11 months. He has undergone two knee operations after damaging a cartilage during a one-day series against New Zealand in March.

Gough will see the specialist again in two weeks and "it is hoped that he will be given the all-clear to resume training thereafter", the ECB said.

He last played a Test against Australia at The Oval in August 2001, since when he has missed nine games. England tour Australia at the end of the year in a bid to regain the Ashes they lost in 1989 and have not regained since.

With both Gough, his pace partner Andrew Caddick and stand-in Alex Tudor out injured, Glamorgan fast bowler Simon Jones now looks certain to make his test debut on Thursday.

"He's got pace but any world class batter will tell you it's not all about pace," Hussain added. "It's about where you put the ball and the way you out think the batsman."

Mail Cricket Editor