Vaughan's Out

Having just watched the footage of Vaughan on Sky Sports news I have to say I’ll be very surprised if he plays on Thursday. He looked in total agony.

My Dad was totally unconcerned by this setback and insisted that we won’t miss him as ‘…he hasn’t scored any runs for a long time’. When I asked him who would bat three, he shrugged and responded ‘…they could just shuffle the order’.

England will have to think quick. Do they call up another specialist batsman? The only real candidate is Robert Key, a player I really can’t take seriously until he sheds a stone and a half.

Even if Key comes in who bats three? Suddenly the England top order looks a bit thin.

On form I’d like to see Collingwood come in. He’s in great nick with the bat and will ellivate the fielding. He’s also one of those players like Pietersen who has the attitude to handle the Australians.

You might have seen the Ashley Giles has thrown his toys out of the pram in the Guardian. The English press have been typically two faced in their coverage of this series. Do you remember the paper talk about how Pietersen didn’t have the technique for test cricket after his one day performances? Well now the same papers are praising him as the only player in the England team to have the technique to play Warne and McGrath.

My big concerns for the forthcoming test were again the top three. Strauss really looks like he has forgot to bat. Trescothick, well Trescothick still doesn't move his feet. Will he ever damage the Aussies? Vaughan might not play, so we could have Robert Key at three or even Ian 'I've watched it again and again on television and it still looks a leg-spinner to me' Bell at three. Blimey, now I'm beginning to write like a tabloid reporter.

Come on England.