Joe_Fox
Well-Known Member
Michael Vaughan has insisted he has no fears about facing Australian paceman Glenn McGrath after proving his fitness for the second npower Test match at Edgbaston.
McGrath admitted that he "enjoyed" bowling at Vaughan after the England captain had made only seven runs in two innings during the 239-run mauling in the opening Test at Lord's.
And skipper Ricky Ponting reiterated that Australia would be deliberately targeting Vaughan and confronting him with McGrath whenever he came to the wicket.
But Vaugham is unfazed by the 35-year-old paceman who bowled him in the first innings on his way to winning the man of the match award by picking up nine for 83 in 35.1 overs.
The England captain points to his outstanding form against McGrath and company in the last Ashes series in 2002-2003 as a reason to be optimistic.
Vaughan said: "I can't control what the Australians say but I feel fine against McGrath. Yes, I thought he bowled well at Lord's and used the slope very well.
"He bowled some fantastic deliveries. You've got to say that he got a lot of our players out with good bowling, not the reverse.
"He was a real handful but I wouldn't say I don't fancy facing him. I thought he bowled well at Lord's but I've had quite a lot of success against him in the past."
Vaughan is confident that he will be 100% fit following an injection in his elbow after being hit by a Tim Tremlett delivery in the nets.
He said: "The elbow is alright. It was sore on Tuesday. Luckily it wasn't a break and just trapped a nerve but an injection has eased that. It is just a bit sore but I am fine to play.
"When I initially couldn't feel the arm. I thought the worst, that it was a break. A lot of emotions go through your head because you think you are not only going to miss this game but a lot of cricket and I didn't want to do that.
"But, as soon as the scan came through that there was no break, I knew that I would be fine because you can easily release a little bit of the nerve. You can just inject it. I'm delighted to say I'm fully fit."
Ashley Giles looks almost certain to play in an unchanged side after all-rounder Paul Collingwood was released from the squad on Wednesday afternoon only a day after being drafted in because of concerns over the pitch.
And Vaughan believes that the spinner will be in the right frame of mind after his series of outbursts over criticism of his bowling in the first Test when his 11 overs in the second innings cost 56 runs.
He said: "I've only seen Ashley from Tuesday and he seems fine. Players react in different ways to critisicm but over the last couple of years we've had a lot of praise as well because we've won a lot of games.
"We accept the praise but you've also got to accept the criticism now and again. Two or three of the players got a lot of criticism for the defeat at Lord's and it was a team defeat.
"It wasn't just three players who didn't play well. It was the whole unit didn't play as a team.
"But Ashley Giles has been outstanding for us in the last year or so and I expect him to continue in that manner because he is a pivotal member of the team.
"His mind seems really focused on the game. He has bowled well in the nets and he is looking forward to a good performance this week. He bowled well here last year against the West Indies so he has got good memories towards the ground."
Vaughan needs Giles to play a full role with back to back Tests looming after Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison bowled 27 overs apiece in the second innings at Lord's.
He is aware that it is not ideal for Flintoff to have to endure such a workload after his return to fitness following ankle surgery in the winter.
Vaughan said: "I get told by the medical team that Freddy (Flintoff) is fit to play a full part. Twenty seven overs is a lot in back to back games and I don't really want him to be bowling that number of overs in an innings.
"Lord's was the kind of wicket where his bowling was very effective and he bowled very well for us, as did Steve Harmison. I wouldn't want him to be bowling 27 overs in an innings at Edgbaston this week.
"All the bowlers have got to put the hand up and make sure they are creating opportunities and also, if the wicket is different in variation to Lord's, that they adapt to the conditions to make sure they get through their overs."
McGrath admitted that he "enjoyed" bowling at Vaughan after the England captain had made only seven runs in two innings during the 239-run mauling in the opening Test at Lord's.
And skipper Ricky Ponting reiterated that Australia would be deliberately targeting Vaughan and confronting him with McGrath whenever he came to the wicket.
But Vaugham is unfazed by the 35-year-old paceman who bowled him in the first innings on his way to winning the man of the match award by picking up nine for 83 in 35.1 overs.
The England captain points to his outstanding form against McGrath and company in the last Ashes series in 2002-2003 as a reason to be optimistic.
Vaughan said: "I can't control what the Australians say but I feel fine against McGrath. Yes, I thought he bowled well at Lord's and used the slope very well.
"He bowled some fantastic deliveries. You've got to say that he got a lot of our players out with good bowling, not the reverse.
"He was a real handful but I wouldn't say I don't fancy facing him. I thought he bowled well at Lord's but I've had quite a lot of success against him in the past."
Vaughan is confident that he will be 100% fit following an injection in his elbow after being hit by a Tim Tremlett delivery in the nets.
He said: "The elbow is alright. It was sore on Tuesday. Luckily it wasn't a break and just trapped a nerve but an injection has eased that. It is just a bit sore but I am fine to play.
"When I initially couldn't feel the arm. I thought the worst, that it was a break. A lot of emotions go through your head because you think you are not only going to miss this game but a lot of cricket and I didn't want to do that.
"But, as soon as the scan came through that there was no break, I knew that I would be fine because you can easily release a little bit of the nerve. You can just inject it. I'm delighted to say I'm fully fit."
Ashley Giles looks almost certain to play in an unchanged side after all-rounder Paul Collingwood was released from the squad on Wednesday afternoon only a day after being drafted in because of concerns over the pitch.
And Vaughan believes that the spinner will be in the right frame of mind after his series of outbursts over criticism of his bowling in the first Test when his 11 overs in the second innings cost 56 runs.
He said: "I've only seen Ashley from Tuesday and he seems fine. Players react in different ways to critisicm but over the last couple of years we've had a lot of praise as well because we've won a lot of games.
"We accept the praise but you've also got to accept the criticism now and again. Two or three of the players got a lot of criticism for the defeat at Lord's and it was a team defeat.
"It wasn't just three players who didn't play well. It was the whole unit didn't play as a team.
"But Ashley Giles has been outstanding for us in the last year or so and I expect him to continue in that manner because he is a pivotal member of the team.
"His mind seems really focused on the game. He has bowled well in the nets and he is looking forward to a good performance this week. He bowled well here last year against the West Indies so he has got good memories towards the ground."
Vaughan needs Giles to play a full role with back to back Tests looming after Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison bowled 27 overs apiece in the second innings at Lord's.
He is aware that it is not ideal for Flintoff to have to endure such a workload after his return to fitness following ankle surgery in the winter.
Vaughan said: "I get told by the medical team that Freddy (Flintoff) is fit to play a full part. Twenty seven overs is a lot in back to back games and I don't really want him to be bowling that number of overs in an innings.
"Lord's was the kind of wicket where his bowling was very effective and he bowled very well for us, as did Steve Harmison. I wouldn't want him to be bowling 27 overs in an innings at Edgbaston this week.
"All the bowlers have got to put the hand up and make sure they are creating opportunities and also, if the wicket is different in variation to Lord's, that they adapt to the conditions to make sure they get through their overs."
:icon_lol:
