When Mike Atherton retired at the end of last summer, it was deemed a natural progression for Vaughan to replace him at the top of the England batting order, having registered his maiden Test century (120) against Pakistan.
As events transpired, however, he had to wait for his chance as Mark Butcher went in first with Marcus Trescothick in the three Tests in India - Vaughan making 64 in Bangalore before joing the list of players to be given out 'handled the ball'.
The Trescothick-Vaughan partnership was finally tried in New Zealand and it was not an unqualified success, with only one half century stand in Wellington to show for their combined efforts.
Vaughan showed only fleeting glimpses of his normal fluency and a return of 131 runs from the three Tests, with a highest score of 36, will have only served to increase his determination to do well against Sri Lanka and India this summer.
