Returning Vaughan's high hopes by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter

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Player:

MP Vaughan, A Flintoff, AJ Strauss

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DateLine: 8th January 2007

 

England's Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan hopes to return a better player as he prepares for his international comeback this month, in the Commonwealth Bank Series against Australia and New Zealand. Vaughan has been out of international cricket since a recurrence of a long-term knee injury required surgery, ruling him out of England's limited-overs series in Pakistan 13 months ago. But following a second operation last summer, the 32-year-old Yorkshire batsman's rehabilitation has gone well - most recently with the England and Wales Cricket Board's Academy in Perth. He has since been named in England's squad as the tourists seek a much-needed morale-boosting one-day campaign after their chastening Ashes defeat, under the captaincy of Andrew Flintoff. “I feel ready and mentally I am very fresh,” said Vaughan.“If you're mentally fresh it's amazing how far it can take you. I believe I am a better person for what I have been through. I hope I will be a better player.” Vaughan is one of three candidates to lead England in the triangular limited-overs series, alongside Flintoff and Andrew Strauss who filled in as captain for the second half of last summer.