DAVID Byas, the retiring Yorkshire cricket captain, described today how he fell out with Darren Gough and "hit the roof" with the England fast bowler in a row in which "the air was blue".

Byas, who brought the county championship title to Yorkshire last season for the first time since 1968, said of Gough: "Basically, he's not worth bothering with."

Byas spoke out in an interview in the latest issue of The Cricketer International magazine in which he also attacked "prima-donnas and malingerers" and said that some cricketers "think they can swan about and have everything handed to them on a plate".

The article says that Gough, in his ghosted autobiography, had heavily criticised Byas.

Byas said: ""We fell out when he let me down by saying he was fit for a four-day game and then breaking down.

"He went off the field after lunch and when we came off for tea, I asked the physio how Darren was and when he would be back on the field, only to be told he had gone home.

"I hit the roof and when I pulled him into the office next day for an explanation and a dressing down the air was blue.

"But I don't take that sort of behaviour from anyone."

Byas, who made his debut for Yorkshire in 1986 and is now taking up farming full-time, also described how he began his six-year reign as captain.

"I was determined not to stand any nonsense from anybody. I laid down rules and made it clear there were not going to be any exceptions.

"I wasn't going to have prima-donnas, malingerers or anyone who wouldn't pull their weight.

"It was hard work because of the culture that had developed of people going through the motions with a benefit in mind. There were lots of rows, but I can say with hand on heart that I never showed any favouritism and everybody got the same treatment.

"I may have been wrong sometimes, I'd be surprised if I wasn't, but it was my job and my responsibility."

He went on: "Some players need to get a grip on life. They have no idea about the real world and think they can swan about and have everything handed to them on a plate.

"They don't know what hard work is and some of them are going to get a very rude awakening when they try to earn a living outside the game," Byas added.

Updated: 15:35 Tuesday, December 18, 2001