The demands of being a top international cricketer these days leave little time to concentrate on the county scene, but at the moment Darren Gough is thinking more about Yorkshire than England.

He was eager for immediate action when he joined them for training at Headingley last week, but was unable to go straight into the nets.

He is still recovering from the operation on his right cartilage, which he damaged in late February during England's final game of their one-day series with New Zealand.

Now it looks almost certain that he will miss the tough Championship opener against Surrey at Headingley next Wednesday, but he is aiming to make it in time for the first Benson and Hedges Cup match with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on April 28.

"I am really looking forward to the start of the season and I want to play in as many Yorkshire games as I possibly can," said Gough.

"I am always keen to turn out for Yorkshire but unfortunately when you are successful for England you don't get the opportunity to play regularly for your county."

Gough's decision not to play Test cricket in India last winter led to him not being selected for the Test series in New Zealand. But he has no regrets, and no complaints at his treatment by England.

"I feel I made the right decision and now I am much better for the rest and ready for a very busy period of cricket leading up to the World Cup in South Africa next February," said Gough.

"It was just a shame that I tore my cartilage in the last one-day game because I was feeling very sharp, but now I have to begin my build-up again.

"Although I didn't take part in the Tests last winter, I played in all the one-dayers and had 17 games in seven weeks of cricket in India and New Zealand, which isn't bad going."

Gough showed that he is still England's star bowling attraction and he was easily the leading wicket-taker in the 11 one-day internationals against the two countries with a total of 21 dismissals.

He was bowling at full pace in the final game against New Zealand when he injured himself but he still managed to take two further wickets before his spell ended.

"If I had been a footballer I suppose I would have come straight off, but I carried on," he grinned.

Gough's double hope is that Yorkshire retain the Championship and that England beat both Sri Lanka and India.

His personal ambition for the summer is to move on from 222 Test wickets and reach the 250 mark. That would see him overtake Alec Bedser (236) and place him sixth in England's all-time list of leading wicket-takers.