Gough suffered no ill-effects after playing his first competitive games for six months on Yorkshire's pre-season tour of South Africa.

``Naturally I was delighted to finally get a couple of games under my belt over the last seven days,'' the fast bowler said. ``I was a bit tight afterwards, although that was more to do with playing competitive cricket again rather than any reaction from the injury.''

Andrew Bichel, the Australian fast bowler, has rejected an offer to play for Hampshire. Bichel was sought by the county to replace compatriot Michael Kasprowicz, who decided against becoming their overseas player because of exhaustion.

Bichel, a member of Australia's team on last year's Ashes tour, wants to concentrate on winning a Test place.

Hampshire are now considering West Indian fast bowlers Nixon McLean and Mervyn Dillon.

Northamptonshire batsman Russell Warren will miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery on a wrist injury.

Cecil Paris, the former MCC president and Hampshire captain, has died aged 86. He was president of the MCC in 1975-76, chairman of the Test and County Cricket Board for seven years from 1968 and captain of Hampshire in 1938 during a 15-year county career.

Graham Cowdrey's benefit year in 1997 raised £303,000, a record for Kent.

``I was overwhelmed by the amount of support that I got from all over Kent, and around the country,'' said Cowdrey, 33, soon to embark on his 15th first-class season.