Michael Vaughan's Golden Handshake
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 : The Ashes, England, Tests
Michael Vaughan receiving an ECB central contract is a golden handshake for a man that became England's most successful captain after Mike Brearley
and brought the Ashes home in 2005. That or the England selectors genuinely believe that his 'permanent' class and not his 'temporary' form will warrant a place in the starting line up at Cardiff on 8th July 2009. Although I would love to see it, I have to say, I think it is unlikely. Why?
A lot is said about his record against Australia. Lets look at this. He has played 2 series against Australia where he averaged an amazing 63.3 in 2002-03 and half of that, 32.6 in 2005. Since Michael Vaughan took on the captaincy he has struggled with the bat in Test cricket. With a few exceptions against the West Indies, New Zealand and notably India last year he has failed to reproduce his form of 2001-2002 that took him to the best rated batsman in the world. So being great against Australia is based on 1 series 6 years ago.
Will the removal of the pressures of captaincy, that undoubtedly led to a decline in his performance with the bat, be enough to bump-start his Test career? 'A Yorkshire Phoenix rises for the Ashes' anyone?
Get in the mood for next year's Ashes with a little reliving of the summer of 2005 with the The 2005 Ashes Victory
.
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