Pat Murphy: "Gough is vital to England's cause"

The injury-prone Yorkshire fast bowler successfully came through a net session in Bloemfontein on Thursday.

The news is a boost two weeks ahead of the first Test with South Africa.

Gough's county colleague Chris Silverwood is flying to South Africa as emergency cover for Nasser Hussain's injury-ravaged bowling attack.

Dean Headley and Andrew Flintoff are both suffering from painful back injuries.

Gough's appearance in the four-day match over the weekend will be his his first bowl in match conditions since claiming two for 46 in the opening one-day match against Nicky Oppenheimer's XI.

Silverwood: Flying in from New Zealand

Since then he has been sidelined with general stiffness following his lengthy lay-off with calf trouble.

"He's performed well in the nets today and seems 100% fit, but we will have to wait and see if he wakes up all right in the morning," said coach Duncan Fletcher.

Gough will partner Alan Mullally in attack, but Andrew Caddick has been rested.

The Somerset paceman has already demonstrated he is in peak form by claiming five for 35 in the drawn match against a Combined Western Province/Boland XI in Cape Town.

Two more Yorkshire players are named in the side, as Fletcher and Hussain try to find their best line-up.

Gavin Hamilton has been given the chance to establish himself as England's all-rounder having disappointed with the ball in his three previous outings.

Butcher concern

Michael Vaughan has also been promoted up the order to fourth, although Mark Butcher will open the innings with Mike Atherton.

The Surrey opener has been in poor form, and the in-form Vaughan is a clear alternative to Butcher in the Test side.

Chris Adams drops down to number six, ahead of Flintoff, who will not bowl in the game due to his back trouble.

Left-arm spinner Phil Tufnell has been given his opening first class outing of the tour

There are no places for Leicestershire's Darren Maddy, Northamptonshire off-spinner Graeme Swann and Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper Chris Read.

None of the absent trio has played a first class match on tour, while Alex Tudor is also rested.

Meanwhile Silverwood is flying to South Africa from New Zealand, where he has been with the England A tour party.

He took two wickets in their comprehensive victory over the local Academy XI at Lincoln in Christchurch on Wednesday.

Silverwood was in the England squad for their disastrous summer series against New Zealand - but spent a frustrating time on the sidelines as he failed to make the opening line-up for a single Test.

England team:

MA Butcher (Surrey), MA Atherton (Lancashire), N Hussain (Essex, capt), MP Vaughan (Yorkshire), AJ Stewart (Surrey, wkt), CJ Adams (Sussex), A Flintoff (Lancashire), GM Hamilton (Yorkshire), D Gough (Yorkshire), AD Mullally (Hampshire), PCR Tufnell (Middlesex).

Combined XI: