October 22 Tuesday 2002
Vaughan out of England tour opener, confident for Ashes Test

PERTH, Australia: Opener Michael Vaughan confirmed on Monday he'd miss the opening match of England's Ashes tour, but insisted he'd be fit for the first Test against Australia next month.

The Yorkshire right-hander, England's star performer during this summer's Test series' against Sri Lanka and India, is recovering from surgery carried out at the end of the English season. He has been ruled out of the tourist's match with an Australian Cricket Board Chairman's XI today, but is optimistic about being ready for England's two-day game against Western Australia on Thursday. "The knee was very sore at our first practice session on Saturday, but over the last 48 hours it has improved tremendously," Vaughan said after an extended workout on Monday. "I always knew it was going to be sore when we arrived because of the operation, and after the first run it was not as good as we had hoped, but in the last two days it has gone really well.

"I think there was a bit of dehydration from the flight and a bit of swelling as well. I am delighted with the way it is now. It will now be a steady process of working hard twice a day, and hopefully I'll be available for the two-day game. Everything is going to schedule. I knew I would miss the first game."

Vaughan said he had decided to have the surgery immediately after the English season, a month ago, because he wanted to be ready for England's heavy programme over the next five months. This includes five Ashes Tests, a one-day series in Australia and the World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

"I didn't want a repeat of what happened in England last year when I had an operation at the beginning of the summer and missed the entire Test series against Australia. That was a bitter disappointment. I am quite confident I'll be ready for Brisbane," said Vaughan, referring to the first Ashes Test which gets underway on November 7.

"If I had been asked about that on Saturday, I might have given a different answer." 

Despite his excellent Test record, he is averaging 47.50 in 23 matches, Vaughan has yet to show his pedigree against the Australian attack, considered the world's best. In non-Test clashes in England, he has not fared well against Australian bowling, being ousted for first-ball ducks by star speed merchants Glenn McGrath and Jason 
Gillespie, as well as falling cheaply to leg-spinner Shane Warne.

"I have a really great record against them. It can only get better," he quipped. Vaughan, who will be 28 in nine days time, is coming off the most successful international season of his career. In three Tests against Sri Lanka, he slammed 285 runs at an average of 71.25 before displaying even better form against India, in four Tests he unfurled 615 runs at an average of 102.50.

The England team for today's match was to be announced later on Monday. The Australian Cricket Board Chairman's XI made a late change, bringing in left-handed batsman Chris Rogers for the injured Scott Meuleman. Rogers, 25, compiled unbeaten centuries in each innings of a Sheffield Shield match with South Australia in Perth last summer.

Chairman's XI (from): Michael Hussey (capt), Ryan Campbell, Michael Clark, Kade Harvey, Brad Hogg, Chris Rogers, Matthew Nicholson, Marcus North, Callum Thorp, Paul Wilson, Kim Hughes, David Hookes, Wayne Clark (to be finalised).