Cricket: Gough's gloom as Yorkshire triumph

YORKSHIRE OVERCAME their arch-rivals Lancashire yesterday to secure a NatWest semi-final meeting with Gloucestershire in Bristol - but their joy was tempered with the news that the England pace bowler Darren Gough may not play again this season.

Gough missed England's first two Tests against New Zealand with an injury he sustained during the World Cup, and must now have a further scan. It is feared the problem is connected to the degenerative hamstring trouble which forced his withdrawal from England's tour to West Indies two winters ago.

"The problem is still under investigation and nothing is definite," said the England physiotherapist, Wayne Morton. "He is having another scan on Thursday and the results of that may be the injury is immobilised and he is ruled out of cricket for the rest of the season."

If that is the case, England may be in two minds whether to include Gough in this winter's tour party to South Africa and Zimbabwe because of his lack of cricket.

NATWEST SEMI-FINAL DRAW: 14 August: Taunton Somerset v Surrey; 15 August Bristol: Gloucestershire v Yorkshire.