Vaughan targets return

England captain Michael Vaughan © Getty Images

England captain Michael Vaughan hopes to be back to full fitness in 10 days.

Vaughan, 32, had his torn left hamstring reassessed before the touring party headed for back-to-back contests at the Adelaide Oval next week.

He will miss Tuesday’s encounter with New Zealand and the game against Australia on Friday, with a view to featuring in England’s sixth group game of the Commonwealth Bank series against the Black Caps in Perth on January 30.

“In my book that’s good news - I thought it was going to be a lot worse than that,” said Vaughan, who sustained the injury in the maiden tour victory over Stephen Fleming’s team last Tuesday.

“It looks like I will definitely be available for the last three group games and we hope to reach the finals.

“I would have taken that from the way I felt. You have to be very careful looking after hamstrings. When I start running and doing a few things on the grass that will be the test.

“The game a week on Tuesday is quite a reasonable target to aim for. If we were pushing it we could go for Friday but that would be really risking it.”

Vaughan has begun the healing process with pool sessions supervised by physiologist Nigel Stockill.

Initial fears were that he would be sidelined until the best-of-three-finals after he pulled up chasing a ball in Hobart.

This latest estimate is positive news, however, as England are also without Kevin Pietersen, who has a fractured rib.

Although England suffered another defeat to Australia at the Gabba, they put up a real fight under Andrew Flintoff, who is deputising as captain while Vaughan is sidelined.