Saturday, June 16, 2007

Vaughan one-day future uncertain

England captain Michael Vaughan's place in the one-day side is still up for debate, chairman of selectors David Graveney has admitted.

With the opening day's play in the fourth Test washed out the selectors and Vaughan met to discuss the Twenty20 and one-day matches.

Vaughan, 32, averages just 27 in one-day cricket and led England's unsuccessful World Cup campaign.

"We haven't made our decision," said Graveney, on Vaughan's position.

"I invited him in the normal way I would the captain.

"What we have had here is a first discussion - knowing Michael's views about how we should play as a team - with Peter Moores and Geoff Miller.


Can Michael Vaughan play both forms of the game?

Chairman of selectors David Graveney


"We have talked about his position as a batsman, we haven't skirted the issue, he knows the way he has played, he knows what he wants to do long term and that is an ongoing scenario."

Vaughan's future in the one-day game has been the subject of much debate, with suggestions he would be better standing down from the short form of the game to concentrate on Test cricket.

He struggled with the bat throughout the winter before finally finding form in his 12th and final one-day innings, hitting 79 in the win over West Indies in Barbados.

"To me the way he played against West Indies is the way we have all wanted Michael Vaughan to play for England in one-day cricket," said Graveney.

The chairman of selectors indicated that he prefers evolution rather than revolution, suggesting Vaughan will stay for the near future.

"Can Michael Vaughan play both forms of the game? Do we want Michael Vaughan to be captain in 2009? How do we achieve that?

"Four years is a very long time and sometimes we have broken up our teams too early.

"If you break up a team immediately after a World Cup it means you can end up with a totally inexperienced team and one which goes through a period of losing.

"I see the integration of younger players as more gradual."

The squad is set to be announced after England's A side - now renamed as England Lions - take on the West Indies at Worcester on Thursday.

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