Gough makes light of England crisis

London, July 11: Darren Gough tried to lift the gloom hanging over the beleaguered England team on Tuesday by jokingly offering himself as team captain for the second Ashes Test at Lord's.

More realistically, it is a straight choice between two opening batsmen Michael Atherton and Marcus Trescothick.

With Nasser Hussain ruled out because of his second fracture of the summer, England need to select a new leader going into the second Test with the team already 1-0 down and in the middle of an injury crisis.

Alec Stewart, who took over from Hussain after he broke his finger in the first Test and also after Hussain's broken thumb against Pakistan in the earlier home series, has ruled himself out of contention. "There's been some speculation that I might become captain again, but I wouldn't take the job back if it was offered," Stewart told a website. "I think it's time to move on. I've been captain and done everything that's been asked of me and I think it's better to look to the future now, so I won't be putting my hand up for the job.

With batsman Michael Vaughan and paceman Matthew Hoggard out of the team through injury, England is hopeful that Graham Thorpe will be back on the lineup after missing two months' action with a calf muscle injury. But his lack of match fitness would probably rule him out of leading the team.

With confidence low after an innings and 118 runs loss at Edgbaston, fast bowler Gough tried to lighten the mood by suggesting himself as captain.

"Because it is not something I would want to do full-time, only until Nasser Hussain came back, it would be a pleasure to get asked. But I doubt that will happen," the Yorkshire paceman said.

"They could give it to somebody who will play with a smile and not worry about pressures, who will just get on with the job and do it for the laugh."