DARREN Gough has hailed James Anderson as the future of English cricket - but warned he must be protected from burn-out.

Anderson has burst onto the England cricket scene this winter after just a handful of games for the Lancashire side last year.

The 20-year-old from Burnley has taken full advantage of injury problems in the England camp to stake a claim for a place in the senior side and has taken five wickets at the World Cup in Africa - four in the first match against Holland and one in Wednesday's game against Namibia.

He is being widely touted as a future star of the game but Yorkshire paceman Gough - who is currently battling a serious knee injury - warned England and Lancashire chiefs not to push him too far too fast.

"He has come from nowhere, really," said Gough.

"He went over to Australia to the Academy last year and has ended up in the England squad because of injuries.

"I have a chatted to him a couple of times and he's a quiet lad but he works hard.

"He has the art of being able to swing the ball and he can bowl a ball at 90 miles per hour. He isn't really looking where he is going when he bowls so you can see it is a natural action and it would be wrong to try to coach that out of him.

"As he gets bigger and stronger he'll get even faster and I am sure the England and Lancashire physios will have him on weights now trying to build him up a bit."

Anderson has played more cricket over the past 12 months that at any time in his life and Gough says he will be feeling the effects.

"He will find it difficult with the amount of cricket he's played this winter," he said.

"We have to guard against burn-out. He didn't bowl too well against Namibia and that may be because he is a little tired.

"We just have to look after him for a couple of years.

"I would like to think he would be put on a central contract and looked after properly by England but I am sure the Lancashire supporters don't want to hear that.

"But it will be for the good of English cricket. The likes of him, Simon Jones and Steve Harmison are the future of English cricket, without those players there is no future for the game in England."