Vaughan paints a new chapter

'Power Play', one of four Michael Vaughan pieces being exhibited in 30 Castle Galleries and Castle Fine Art galleries

Michael Vaughan always scored highly on artistic merit when he was at the crease - and he will be hoping for the same rave reviews when his new art exhibition opens this weekend.

The former England captain may have retired from playing as recently as this summer, but he has had little trouble settling into life after cricket.

Painting is perhaps the most intriguing of his new hobbies, and Sunday represents a significant moment in Vaughan’s fledgling career as an artist.

‘Painting’ is in fact a misnomer, for Vaughan shuns the traditional approach in favour of something altogether more novel.

Instead of a brush, he uses a cricket bat as his instrument of choice, hitting balls dipped into paint - or throwing or bowling them - on to a blank canvas to create simple yet striking abstract images.

It is a technique he affectionately refers to as ‘artballing’ and there is no doubting Vaughan’s passion as he discusses his exhibition 'From crease to canvas'.

“I love it,” he told ecb.co.uk. “I’ve always admired artists and I’ve bought a lot of modern art over the last few years.

“Some of the pieces tell a story about parts of my career, and with others I’ve tried to create a sense of movement. It’s fresh and exciting."

Vaughan at work in his studio in Yorkshire. He admits the art "started as a bit of fun but I've started taking it more seriously" since retiring

The cynics, of which one suspects there is no shortage, may scoff at the methods used, but the results have drawn comparisons with Jackson Pollock and Damien Hirst.

Vaughan, however, points to a rather unusual source of inspiration.

“Martina Navratilova, the tennis player, developed a style where she hit a tennis ball against a canvas, so I thought why not try it with cricket balls,” he said.

“I started doing it in December last year, when I was still playing, but I was coming towards the end of my career and I knew this season was going to be my last.

“It was always a bit of fun but I’ve started taking it more seriously. Until you do something you’re not sure how they will turn out or how they will be received.”

Initial reviews of Vaughan's work have been favourable, and the man himself will make a personal appearance alongside four limited edition pieces of signed art and a number of originals in Castle Galleries Leeds on Sunday and at Castle Fine Art in Harrods next Wednesday.

He can also expect demand to be high when they go on sale, if only by dint of his signature on the bottom.

“It’s been very well accepted in the art world. They think it’s modern and quite trendy,” Vaughan added.

“It’s great to have an exhibition at Harrods. I’d never have thought I’d have an exhibition there, so it isn’t bad for a new starter.”

Jack Russell is perhaps the most successful cricketer to try his hand at art. Could Vaughan be about to challenge him?

Vaughan clearly has more than a passing interest in the art world - I must admit I had to look up the names of Brian Casey, Sandra Blow and Sacha Jaffrey after our conversation - but the same cannot be said of his former contemporaries on the cricket pitch.

“Cricketers laugh a bit at them, but they don’t really know art,” he said, half-jokingly, before revealing that Paul Collingwood, his one-time England team-mate, “can draw anything - he should do more of it”.

So Vaughan’s name can now be added to a list that features Jack Russell, the ex-England wicketkeeper, and former Durham and Sussex keeper Martin Speight, both of whom are well-respected artists in their own right.

Art is still a sideline rather than a full-time career for Vaughan - “I do it once or twice a month” - and, whereas the greatest cricket grounds in the world were once the canvas on which he showcased his wonderfully languid strokeplay during an 82-Test career, he now prefers a warehouse in Yorkshire.

Vaughan’s status as England’s most successful captain is guaranteed; no-one has managed more than the 26 Test wins he oversaw during his 51 matches in charge.

It remains to be seen how the occasionally highfalutin world of art takes to Vaughan’s creations, but few would bet against him making as much of a mark in the gallery as he did on the pitch.

Click here to see a collection of Vaughan's work in 'From crease to canvas'.

Vaughan will be appearing alongside his exhibition at Castle Galleries Leeds and Sunday November 29 (1-3pm) and at Castle Fine Art, Harrods on Wednesday December 2 (6-8pm). The ‘artballing’ collection will be in the 30-strong group of Castle Galleries and Castle Fine Art until Christmas.