Vaughan’s Career Over?

Michael Vaughan has revealed that he fears he may never again grace a professional cricket pitch, in news which, while not altogether surprising, is still disappointing for England fans. Vaughan has been constantly suffering with injuries since last winter’s tour to Pakistan, but has until now been adamant of the possibility of a return to action.

“I have real hope I’ll get better. I’ll do all the hard work and I believe there’ll be another day when Michael Vaughan takes the field in an England cricket shirt. But I have to be realistic. I’ve read I might never play cricket again – and that might well turn out to be the case,” Vaughan said to the British press today.

Vaughan is currently recovering from a fourth operation on his right knee, which took place on July 3rd. While his injury troubles are well-documented, and long-standing, his troubles began in Pakistan last winter. He missed the First test after injuring his knee in a warm-up game, and eventually flew home for surgery before the One-day series. He flew out to India with the squad, but ended up flying home and missing the whole tour, and was never likely to be fit for the visit of Sri Lanka, however there was, until recently, hope that he might have faced the Pakistanis. This hope was ended when he underwent surgery again, and he was also ruled out of the Ashes.

Vaughan has been publicly quoted as saying he was targeting a return in time for next year’s World Cup in the Caribbean, or maybe even the VB series against Australia and New Zealand, but with Vaughan himself now doubting his future, England must look to deciding whether they want Andrew Flintoff as a long-term successor.

“What is certain is that whether I play cricket again or not I am going to need a total knee replacement in 15 years,” Vaughan said, but in the immediate future it seems very likely that England will never again be led out by the man who skippered them to Ashes glory last summer.