Darren Gough

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Darren Gough

England
Personal information
Full name Darren Gough
Nickname Rhino, Dazzler
Born 18 September 1970 (1970-09-18) (age 37)
Monk Bretton, Barnsley, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Role Bowler
Batting style Right-handed
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
International information
Test debut (cap 568) 5 June 1994: v New Zealand
Last Test 31 July 2003: v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 126) 19 May 1994: v New Zealand
Last ODI 2 September 2006: v Pakistan
ODI shirt no. 8
Domestic team information
Years Team
2007–present Yorkshire (squad no. 8)
2004–2006 Essex
1989–2003 Yorkshire
Career statistics
Tests ODIs FC LA
Matches 58 159 239 401
Runs scored 855 609 4434 1996
Batting average 12.57 12.42 17.38 13.48
100s/50s 0/2 0/0 1/20 0/2
Top score 65 46* 121 72*
Balls bowled 11821 8470 43057 19949
Wickets 229 235 847 574
Bowling average 28.39 26.42 26.72 24.18
5 wickets in innings 9 2 33 7
10 wickets in match 0 n/a 3 n/a
Best bowling 6/42 5/44 7/28 7/27
Catches/stumpings 13/– 21/– 46/– 69/–

As of 24 August 2007
Source: cricketarchive.com

Darren Gough (born September 18, 1970, Monk Bretton, near Barnsley, Yorkshire) is an English cricketer and captain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. He is England's all-time highest wicket-taker in one-day internationals with 234, and took 229 wickets in his 58 Test matches, making him England's ninth most successful wicket-taker.

Gough is a right arm fast medium bowler and right handed batsman. 1.80 m (5' 11") and broad in beam, he achieves his pace from a good approach to the wicket and a beautiful, leaping sideways-on action, achieving what is often described as "skiddy" fast bowling. Capable of swinging the ball late, a large number of his wickets were gained through lbw or bowled, often with the inswinging yorker delivery.

Contents

[edit] International cricket

He was first selected for the England cricket team in 1994, playing both Test and One Day International cricket. He made an impact as a bowler and as a tail-end batsman, and the media, as is usual with practically any aggressive England all-rounder, quickly dubbed him the "new Botham". Like most such pretenders to that throne, he did not fully ascend to such lofty heights, but his continued presence in the England team became a vital one in both personality and play. Memorable highlights of his Test career included taking the 23rd hat-trick in Test cricket against Australia at Sydney in 1999. His only first-class century came against Warwickshire in 1996 at Headingley.

A graph showing Gough's Test career bowling statistics and how they have varied over time
A graph showing Gough's Test career bowling statistics and how they have varied over time

He retired from Test cricket in 2003 after a knee injury threatened to end his career, having taken 229 wickets with a bowling average of 28.39. He has continued playing one-day international cricket, and became the first Englishman to take 200 wickets in one-day cricket in September 2004. In January 2005, he played for the World XI in the World Cricket Tsunami Appeal one-day international versus the Asian XI.

Gough asked not to be considered for selection for England's tour of Pakistan in October–December 2005 so that he could spend more time with his family. Selectors were content with his decision until it was discovered that he had signed up to take part in the BBC television show Strictly Come Dancing.

He was subsequently omitted from the ODI party to tour India in February and March 2006, prompting renewed speculation that his career was at an end. However, he was named as a member of the ODI squad to play Pakistan in August 2006, playing two ODIs and one Twenty20 International, before a shin injury forced him to withdraw from the team. Cricket writer Tim de Lisle claimed in a column for Cricinfo that after this, "[Gough's] international career [was] all but over".[1]


[edit] County cricket

Gough bowling for Essex against Cambridge UCCE
Gough bowling for Essex against Cambridge UCCE

He played county cricket for Yorkshire for 15 years before moving to Essex in 2004 due mainly to family reasons. He returned to Yorkshire for the 2007 season as their captain[2][3] stating "They know I'll run through brick walls for Yorkshire. I've come home".[4] He joins Matthew Hoggard and Jason Gillespie in what looks a formidable Yorkshire attack.

His reign as captain of Yorkshire got off to a flier. His opening five games saw three convincing Championship wins (versus Surrey, Durham and Worcestershire) and two one-day victories (versus Notts and Scotland).

Gough suffered a broken hand in June 2007 whilst achieving his best Yorkshire figures in 11 years.[5] He took 6-47 before taking a blow from Kent's Ryan McLaren, attempting to stop a straight drive off his own bowling. Despite suffering the injury, Gough bowled on briefly, taking the wicket of culprit McLaren.

[edit] Strictly Come Dancing

In December 2005, Gough took part in the BBC television show Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with British National champion Lilia Kopylova. Gough noted that this would keep him fit whilst allowing him to spend the winter with his family and, visibly at least, had the support of his England colleagues. He went on to win both the main series and the 2005 Christmas Special. Two years later he returned to win the 2007 Christmas Special. Following this he took part in the Strictly Come Dancing live tour during January and February of 2008.

[edit] Performance

Week # Dance Judges' score
Craig Revel Horwood Arlene Phillips Len Goodman Bruno Tonioli Total
1 Cha-Cha-Cha 3 4 6 6 19
2 Quickstep 7 7 8 8 30
3 Tango 8 9 8 8 33
4 Paso Doble 8 9 9 8 34
5 Viennese Waltz 6 7 8 7 28
6 Jive 7 7 8 8 30
7 Foxtrot 8 8 9 9 34
8 Rumba
American Smooth
8
8
7
8
8
8
7
8
30
32
9 Waltz
Samba
9
6
9
7
9
9
8
7
35
29
10 Foxtrot
Paso Doble
8
9
9
9
10
9
9
9
36
36
Christmas Special 2005 Quickstep 10 10 10 10 40
Christmas Special 2007 American Smooth 10 10 10 10 40


[edit] Personal Life

Darren and his wife Anna divorced in 2002, after 8 years of marriage. They have two sons, Liam and Brennan. [1]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

Preceded by
Craig White
Yorkshire cricket captain
2007–present
Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by
Jill Halfpenny and Darren Bennett
Strictly Come Dancing Champion
(with partner Lilia Kopylova)

Series 3 (2005)
Succeeded by
Mark Ramprakash and Karen Hardy