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Vaughan remains but still rated doubtful

08/11/2005

Michael Vaughan will remain with the England squad in Pakistan but doubts still surround whether or not he will be fit to play any part in the forthcoming first Test.

A statement from the England Cricket Board has said that the skipper has been told to rest by medical staff until the full results of a scan on his twisted knee are known.

Coach Duncan Fletcher suggested the full extent of Vaughan's injury would be made public some time today but this now looks unlikely.

The statement added: "Michael will remain with the squad and the medical team will monitor his progress. His orthopaedic specialist in the UK has viewed scans of his knee taken in Pakistan and the advice we have received is that he should rest the injury.

"He is rated very doubtful for the first Test in Multan and his availability for the second and third Test matches will be reassessed in due course."

And in a move hardly boding well for Vaughan, Essex starlet Alastair Cook has been called up to the squad as cover.

The 20-year-old specialist opener will fly to Pakistan later this week and should be full of confidence having enjoyed a brilliant domestic season, averaging above 50 and hitting a double hundred against Australia.

Vaughan has been undergoing scans on the twisted knee he sustained while batting against Pakistan A in Lahore on Monday.

Fears have mounted that the skipper could require further treatment at home which would seen him definitely ruled out for the majority of the tour.

Fletcher admitted yesterday that the injury is similar to the problem that has sidelined Vaughan in the past, most recently in the summer of 2004 when he was forced to miss the first Test against New Zealand.

England will be praying their influential captain regains fitness, particularly after seeing Pakistan A run out winners by six wickets in their final warm-up match yesterday, but these hopes appear to be going unanswered.

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