Friday, July 7 2006 15:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Canterbury: England captain Michael Vaughan has been ruled out of the Ashes tour of Australia after a fourth operation on his right knee, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed Thursday.

The Yorkshire batsman went under the knife on Monday still clinging to the hope that he could be fit in time to lead England on the tour.

But with speculation intensifying that this latest injury setback could end Vaughan's playing days, England's chairman of selectors, David Graveney, said, "There is no suggestion that Michael Vaughan's career is under threat."

He added Vaughan was aiming to return for next year's World Cup in the Caribbean in March and April.



"All I know is that the rehab is long and hard but he thinks it (the World Cup) is a realistic target," Graveney also told reporters at Canterbury here Thursday, where England A were playing Pakistan in the tourists' final first-class warm-up match before next week's first Test at Lord's.

"He's optimistic he will be available at the beginning of 2007. Although this is more disappointing for him than anyone, the situation is clear now," Graveney added.

Vaughan has not played for England since being forced to return home early from the tour of India in March.

He attempted a comeback for Yorkshire last month but the injury flared up again and he was advised that further surgery was necessary.

Many within English cricket have been wondering why Vaughan couldn't have had the operation he had this week when he returned from the tour of Pakistan in December.

But Graveney sidestepped the question, saying, "You've got to address that to Peter Gregory (ECB chief medical officer)."

Vaughan last year skippered England to a first series victory over Australia in nearly 20 years and the news that their 31-year-old captain is to miss the Ashes, which start in November, will be a major blow to their hopes of holding on to them.

Vaughan's knee injury flared up again during Yorkshire's County Championship match away to Sussex at Arundel last month, where he was unable to field for much of the game. England have used four different captains since November 2005 and opening batsman Andrew Strauss is set to lead an injury-hit team at Lord's.

But England hope star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will return from an ankle problem to captain the team in the second Test of a four-match series at his Old Trafford home ground later this month and lead England in November's first Ashes Test at Brisbane.



"Andrew Strauss has been appointed until such time as Andrew (Flintoff) is fit enough," Graveney said.

"If you are saying for the Ashes 'is he (Flintoff) captain, in my personal view if all things are equal of course he just continues as captain," he said.

But he added Vaughan remained England's first-choice captain, even though his contract expires in September, saying the issue of him relinquishing the leadership was not a question we've talked about.

Looking ahead, Graveney said he felt Flintoff could deal with the burdens of the England captaincy.

"We wouldn't have appointed him unless we thought that," he said.

"He was captain in an outstanding victory against India in Mumbai and a drawn (home) series against Sri Lanka," he said.

In the short term, England will have to cope without Flintoff when they name their first Test squad on Sunday.

"It doesn't take Einstein to work out that when replacing a world-class all-rounder you've got to slightly weaken one department or the other," Graveney said.

"You'll find out at the weekend, " he said.

As well as Vaughan and Flintoff, England are currently without fellow Ashes-winners Ashley Giles (hip) and Simon Jones (knee) and back-up fast bowler James Anderson (back).



Following the news Vaughan would miss the Ashes, leading British bookmakers William Hill lengthened the odds of England winning the series from 3/1 to 4/1.