Cricket: Darren Gough Retires.

Darren Gough conceded defeat in his attempt to return to the pinnacle of world cricket with the announcement that he has retired from Tests.

Yorkshire paceman Gough, 33 next month, made a stunning return to the international arena during England's one-day successes this summer after 18 months of knee injury misery.

That persuaded both Gough himself and the England selectors he was ready to feature in his first Test for two years in the opening match of the npower series with South Africa.

If Gough's performances in the limited-overs form of the game encouraged their belief that a right knee thrice operated on could sustain him over five days of a Test, however, the reality in back-to-back Tests at Edgbaston and Lord's proved a stark contrast.

Having entered the five-match series against South Africa to much fanfare from England supporters, he added only one wicket to the 228 he collected in his first 56 Tests and appeared only a shadow of the man who regularly clocked deliveries in excess of 90mph.

His determination to return and prove wrong the doubters who wrote off his career last winter drove him on - ultimately, however, the joint he damaged in New Zealand in the winter of 2001-02 could no longer take pounding into the crease up to 150 times a day.