Interview: David Graveney on Vaughan

By Paul Grunill Cricket editor

Michael Vaughan has always been a good man in a crisis.

When he walked to the middle for his first Test innings seven years ago, England were 2-2 against South Africa at Johannesburg, and by the end of the next over had been reduced to 2-4.

If the young Yorkshire batsman was ruffled, he certainly didn't show it and underlined his promise by occupying the crease for almost two hours to make 33.

Now, however, Vaughan is facing his greatest test of all.

Not only has a fourth knee operation put him out of next winter's Ashes showdown in Australia, a series he was desperate to lead England in, but it has also raised fears about how much longer his career will last.

A long and arduous rehabilitation lies ahead, but Vaughan can take comfort in the knowledge that every cricket fan the length and breadth of the nation will be wishing him well.

Vaughan and his team captured hearts and minds during the home Ashes series of 2005 when they reclaimed the famous urn from Australia.

Men, women and children were captivated by a two-month drama which had more twists and turns than an Orlando roller-coaster.

"It's been an emotional summer of cricket, fantastic for the game" was Vaughan's immediate reaction amid scenes of joyous celebration at The Oval.

He's obviously a mentally tough and very focused sort of person Australia's Justin Langer on Vaughan

"We had to dig deep on numerous occasions and the way the players have risen to the challenges has been incredible."

An open top bus parade through the streets of London witnessed by a 25,000 strong crowd was England's reward and the feat was also marked in the New Year's Honours list at the end of 2005 with a gong for each player and coach Duncan Fletcher.

Although outwardly a more easy-going figure than his predecessor, Nasser Hussain, he nevertheless possesses an inner steel and nerve which commands the respect and loyalty of his team-mates.

And his ability to hold his nerve at difficult moments and make the right choices, whether to change a bowler or a fielding position, was crucial to the 2-1 victory.

"He's an interesting captain. Everyone says he's an aggressive captain but in some ways his aggression comes from a conservative style of doing things," Australia batsman Justin Langer told BBC Sport.

ENGLAND RECORD UNDER VAUGHAN'S CAPTAINCY v South Africa (h) 2-2* *N Hussain skipper for 1st Test v Bangladesh (a) 2-0 v Sri Lanka (a) 0-1 v West Indies (a) 3-0 v New Zealand (h) 2-0 v West Indies (h) 4-0 v South Africa (a) 2-1 v Bangladesh (h) 2-0 v Australia (h) 2-1 v Pakistan (a) 0-2* *M Trescothick skipper for 1st Test

"For example, early on in an innings I'd be out there and all of a sudden find they'd got a deep point in to cut off my four boundaries through the off-side.

"In Australia, if Ricky Ponting did that, people would be jumping up and down saying how negative he was.

"But England have been very successful for 12 to 18 months and he's been in charge of that."

Langer added: "Tactically he looks pretty sound to me. He has quite a conservative style of captaincy but it's worked very well for England because they've had some very, very good bowlers to employ that style of play."

England have won 19 of the 33 Tests played under Vaughan.

That number has been exceeded only by Peter May, who achieved 20 victories in 44 matches between 1955 and 1961.

And it is one more than the number of wins under Mike Brearley, winning skipper in the equally memorable 1981 Ashes after taking charge mid-way through the series when Ian Botham resigned.

Good captains are often lucky captains as well, and Vaughan was certainly that in having the likes of Andrew Flintoff, Kevin Pietersen, Marcus Trescothick, Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard at the top of their form last summer.

But there is little doubt that an England side without Vaughan at the helm will be the poorer for it.