Vaughan given time to recover

England captain Michael Vaughan will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness for the first Test against the West Indies starting on 17th May.

Vaughan hasn’t played Test cricket since December 2005 due to persistent knee problems, and struck bad luck yet again when he broke his finger during a county match between Yorkshire and Hampshire last week.

Chairman of selectors David Graveney said “We’re trying to give him as long as possible to recover and make a decision. We will have to wait and see what condition he is in before we name the squad.”

Kevin Pietersen is also in doubt for the Test after sustaining a calf strain and it is thought that the selectors will include Ravi Bopara or Owais Shah in the squad as cover for Vaughan and Pietersen.

In the wicket-keeping department, it is believed that Matt Prior is leading the race with Paul Nixon and James Foster the challenges.