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Darren Gough, the only bowler who writes his own name in the England team, misses the first Test against New Zealand, which begins at Edgbaston on July 1. Gough returned to Yorkshire after the World Cup with a calf injury which needs rest that may also keep him out of the second Test at Lord's.

Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire's director of coaching, explained that Gough had pulled out of the National League game against Essex at Headingley on Saturday with a recurrence of the injury. ``After further examination,'' he said, ``it has been decided that Darren needs rest, treatment and rehabilitation.''

Gough played for Yorkshire in a National League match against Hampshire immediately after England's departure from the World Cup, but missed the championship fixtures against Derbyshire and Hampshire, before returning to the side against Sussex last week.

``He had bowled in the nets without any adverse reaction for two days,'' Moxon said, ``but he felt the calf tighten again against Sussex, and it was obvious it wasn't right. The chances are that we're now talking at least two to three weeks before he'll be ready to play again.''

Gough's convalescence opens the door for another Yorkshireman, Chris Silverwood, who has earned good notices for his bowling this season, including a glowing testimonial from Justin Langer, the Australian Test batsman. Langer made an unbeaten hundred against Yorkshire at Leeds, to win a championship match for Middlesex, and then said Silverwood bowled with a pace and seriousness he had rarely experienced.

Silverwood went on the tour to Zimbabwe and New Zealand in 1996, playing his only Test match, in Bulawayo. It is now more than likely that he will join the England side for the first of this summer's four Tests against a team who reached the World Cup semi-finals, and play his first Test in this country.

Silverwood will probably join Alan Mullally and Alex Tudor, with Dean Headley the fourth pace bowler in a party of 12. Phil Tufnell is expected to be named as the spinner. The team will be selected next weekend after the new captain and coach have been unveiled on Thursday or Friday.

The England and Wales Cricket Board had intended to announce the appointment of the new men today, but Duncan Fletcher, the Glamorgan coach, is mulling over the responsibilities that go with the job. Nasser Hussain, who was interviewed at Lord's last Friday, along with Mark Ramprakash, should soon be working with him.