Sport | Cricket
'Vaughan gets a sentimental pay day'
Make that a sentimental rather than a central contract for Michael Vaughan, after the former Test captain was given 12 months of guaranteed income by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
- The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2008
- Published: 23:39 September 10, 2008
London: Make that a sentimental rather than a central contract for Michael Vaughan, after the former Test captain was given 12 months of guaranteed income by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Vaughan, 34 next month, has not played for England since resigning the Test captaincy in August.
In a moving farewell he pledged to fight his way back for the winter tours through weight of runs for Yorkshire - something he has yet to achieve.
However, this central contract virtually guarantees him a place on the Test tour of India, a place not justified on form.
"We still see Michael as part of the future of English cricket," Geoff Miller, the national selector, said at Lord's on Tuesday.
"We've got a lot of Test cricket coming up and we see the experience he brings to the side as vital.
"He's having a bit of a tough time at the moment, but the strength of character he has, I've no doubt that Michael will come through that."
England's selectors have accommodated injured players before, with dire results, but rarely have they done so much to help those struggling with form.
Loyalty is one take on it, but that is not backed by figures, which show that Vaughan's batting has been declining for some time.
Take this year. In nine Tests, six against seventh-placed New Zealand, he averaged 24, with one hundred.
In five championship matches for Yorkshire, the average remains the same, though his highest score drops to 72.
Flintoff's return
With Andrew Flintoff back at six and batting more assuredly than at any time during his career, Vaughan needs to break into a tight top five, all of whom are averaging more than 40 in Tests.
Since the 2005 Ashes, Vaughan's Test average has been 34, acceptable 20 years ago, but not now.
That leaves the kudos of being an Ashes-winning captain, a stature that clearly bestows added value and one Kevin Pietersen is said to be keen to tap into.
Yet, unless Vaughan has the copyright to that, why fork out for a central contract worth between £150,000 and £400,000 when you could simply ring him for advice?
For many it smacks of the cosy club England became under Vaughan.
"We have some big series coming up, including the Ashes.
"Michael did very well in 2005. It's not a comfy room but we try to be as consistent as we can.
"We have cricketers knocking on the door but we want quality players who are passionate about playing for England for cricketing reasons.''
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