It was only a Second XI game at Darlington, yet Darren Gough roared in like it was a Lord's Test.

Riled that his lung-bursting efforts had not yielded a wicket, he peppered Durham's tail-end batsmen with a welter of short-pitched deliveries.

One ball was gloved just over the slip cordon, others were fended to safety, and somehow Durham's batters managed to negotiate his onslaught.

His ten overs ultimately went unrewarded, but on this occasion the figures in the scorebook were of little consequence.

The message that rang out loud and clear from Feethams last Friday was that Darren Gough is back.

After four months, two knee operations and countless hours of toil and rehabilitation in the gym, Gough is poised to return for England against Sri Lanka today - as Northern Echo Sport revealed last Saturday.

And how his country needs him.

It matters not that, even by his own admission, Gough is still short of match fitness.

The galvanising effect that the Yorkshire paceman has on his teammates, acting as England's talisman and the standard bearer of their bowling attack, merits his inclusion at Headingley.

Matthew Hoggard's confidence is shot to ribbons, the pressure of leading an inexperienced bowling quintet at Lord's proving too much for Gough's county colleague.

Gough admitted yesterday: "Some of the criticism aimed at Matthew has been unfair.

"He's only played 12 one-day internationals and he's still learning."

James Kirtley and even Andrew Flintoff, despite the great strides he has made over the last nine months, would relish the presence of an old head to guide them through their bowling stints.

And in the absence of the injured Andrew Caddick, that's where Gough comes in.

When Nasser Hussain needed to turn to an experienced bowler on Saturday as India's batsmen dismantled his fragile, youthful attack, Gough was sat in the England dressing room.

He must be given a more senior role than chief cheerleader today as England look to get back to winning ways in the NatWest Series following their chastening Lord's defeat.

Saturday proved that Hoggard and Flintoff, for their superlative efforts in India and New Zealand, are not yet ready to take on the mantle as England's premier bowler.

It is a title that Gough has been happy to carry for the vast majority of his eight-year international career.

No English player, even Flintoff with a bat in his hand, causes such a buzz of anticipation from the crowd.

He desrcibed his bowling philosophy yesterday thus: "I just run up and bowl as fast as I can".

It's a mantra that has endeared him to fans across the world, from South Yorkshire to the Sydney Cricket Ground.

And hopefully, with last winter's rest behind him, he can stay fit and lead England's assault on the Ashes and the World Cup in South Africa.

If nothing else, the last few days have proved that England cannot do without him.

And who knows, it might even lead to an intriguing quiz question: which cricketer won the Ashes just six months after playing at Darlington?