Darren Gough has been ruled out of England's entire series against Sri Lanka after suffering a recurrence of his knee problem. Gough originally sustained the injury at Dunedin, during England's final one-day match against New Zealand earlier this year.

It had already kept him out of Thursday's first Test at Lord's but Gough was expected to be fit for the second Test at Edgbaston. However, the injury, to the cartilage in his right knee, flared up again earlier this week.

"This is a big loss to us as we were really looking forward to have Darren fit and raring to go for this series," said England coach Duncan Fletcher, "but we're hoping he will have fully recovered in time for the one-day series."

Gough's knee problems mean that this is the third successive series he will have missed, after deciding not to tour India before Christmas and his consequent non-selection for the drawn series in New Zealand which followed.

He will now undergo surgery which is expected to keep him out for up to a month, and hopes to return in time for June's triangular one-day series, which also features India.

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