England send injured Gough home

Fast bowler Darren Gough will miss the rest of the Ashes tour and next year's World Cup after receiving advice on his knee injury from a specialist in Adelaide, England said on Sunday.

Gough, 32, who has not played a Test since Australia's Ashes tour of England last year, will fly home on Sunday and has been ruled out of cricket for three months.

The Yorkshire paceman will see another specialist immediately upon his return to England and will have the injury re-assessed in three months, England said in a statement released on Sunday.

Gough had bowled in the nets at the Australian cricket academy in Adelaide this week but reported swelling on the knee on Friday.

"I'm going to go home and work hard on continually strengthening my knee," Gough said.

"Obviously this is another setback and it's going to be a huge disappointment to miss the Ashes and the World Cup, but I want to explore all the medical options that are open to me before I make any decisions about my future career."

Gough's departure is a further blow to England, who were dismissed for 325 on the third day of the first Test on Saturday, 167 runs behind Australia's first innings total of 492. Australia will resume on Sunday at 111 for two in their second innings.

Alex Tudor, who was called up to the tour party from the England Cricket Board National Academy in Adelaide earlier this week, will replace Gough in the Test squad, England said.

Promising young England fast bowler Simon Jones has also been ruled out of the Ashes series after injuring his knee while fielding on the first day of the first Test in Brisbane on Thursday.

Yorkshire paceman Chris Silverwood is due to fly to Australia on Sunday to replace Jones in the squad and is expected to play in the tour match against Australia A starting in Hobart on Friday.

England are nursing Durham fast bowler Steve Harmison, who has shin splints, and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who is recovering from a hernia operation and also missed selection this week.

Flintoff failed a fitness test on Wednesday and Craig White, who was not part of the original Ashes squad, was preferred.

White had been playing grade cricket in Adelaide before England promoted him into the squad.

Mail Cricket Editor