Darren Gough - An Australian perspective

They paid him the highest compliment possible and say he played the game like an Australian.

Larger than life and always the centre of attention, Darren Gough always tantalized his fans with amazing feats but, sadly for him and for England, he could not produce these consistently.

As the consummate performer he knew that it was best to be centre stage when the spotlight was brightest and that was, of course, against Australia. The Australians craved a contest and a feisty worthy opponent and they found that in Gough.

At Sydney in 1995, he captured six wickets and thrashed a scintillating halfcentury. This brought hopes that he would be the saviour of English cricket. Capable of wreaking havoc with both bat and ball.

Seventy-four of his 229 wickets were Australian victims (his next highest is South Africa with 43) and he always tried to make inroads into the Australian top order. More often than not he succeeded and claimed Michael Slater's wicket eight times and Ricky Ponting and Mark Taylor six each. He never went wicketless in a Test against Australia.

Gough batted at No 9 and 10 for the majority of his career but gave early glimpses that maybe he should have been at eight. He had two half-centuries in his first seven Test matches after which his batting average was 35. Thereafter, Gough somewhat lost much of his proficiency with the blade and his average steadily declined to 13.

When Gough delivered he delivered in spades. With Australia 13 runs shy of victory in Melbourne in 1998 and two wickets in hand, within the space of three balls Gough cleaned bowled Stuart MacGill and pinned Glenn McGrath in front to give England a famous victory. Four days later in Sydney, Gough captured the first English Ashes hat-trick in 100 years. The hat-trick delivery which cannoned into Colin Miller's off stump was unplayable.

What will history make of Gough's career? His nickname 'Dazzler' proves somewhat ironic. Like a comet, he dazzled brightly but dazzled quickly and all cricket fans will be left pondering what he could have been had he been able to avoid the serious injuries he suffered.

Players might spend hundreds of hours in the nets, and studying videos and the like, but Gough proved that there is still a place in the game for natural exuberance and talent.

Australian fans recognized his infectious personality and his desire to always have a go. There was no such thing as a honorable defeat. Going down swinging and fighting. At times he may not have elected to play the percentages but with his instincts instead. A mercurial talent who left the game better for his presence. He will be missed.