Gough determined to shine for England

Darren Gough has mapped out his dream summer, and it is already going better than even England's eternal optimist could have imagined.

'Dazzler' Gough determined to shine for England before putting his feet up and
Gough warmed up for this evening's NatWest Twenty20 encounter with Australia by taking a hat-trick during the weekend demolition of Hampshire.

All he wants now is to enjoy tonight's fire lighter for the Ashes series, then continue his magnificent form through the slow burning, four-week run of one-dayers before watching his country roast the Aussies in a Test series for the first time since the winter of 1986-87. Well, that's the Dazzler's plan.

"I'm looking forward to playing in these one-dayers and then I'm looking forward to sitting back and watching the Ashes," Gough said.

Even with a 35th birthday approaching, and despite outstanding performances over the past year from Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and company, Gough would still be a Test candidate this summer but for a dodgy knee that needs constant attention.

But he insists he will be happy to take a spectator's seat come the Ashes. "It still makes me excited," he said. "I'll be on edge and I'll be wanting England to succeed. We've got some good bowlers who have done well against other countries and now there's a chance for them to do well against Australia."