Captain marvel

By Martin Gough

Vaughan has taken his side into a 2-1 Ashes series lead

There is a joke that always crops up around Michael Vaughan's media conferences - that you could write them up before they take place.

England are never bothered by Australia, "just worrying about our own games".

Vaughan will be "looking to put the opposition under pressure" and his team will be "focused on playing good cricket".

They sound like empty phrases, but Vaughan's performance as captain is a key to the side's success as they bid to win the Ashes for the first time in 18 years.

This is why...

TACTICAL PLANNING

If Vaughan and coach Duncan Fletcher really were not worried about Australia, they would not have spent so much time drawing up plans to deal with them.

Vaughan has used some unorthodox fields to combat Australia's left-handed batsmen In graphics

Innovative fields have been a signature feature of this Ashes series, with the emphasis on drying up runs rather than being in catching positions.

If you deprive a batsman of runs in his favourite areas of the field he will have to gamble on shots that come less naturally.

Matthew Hayden hit an unbeaten 186 on the opening day of the last Ashes series.

From the first ball of this series, Vaughan placed a short mid-off fielder in the way of Hayden's favourite front foot drive.

He lasted 25 balls for an uncomfortable 12 before Hoggard bowled him, and has managed just 168 more runs in seven innings since.

Fellow left-handers Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist have been similarly subdued, as has Damien Martyn, whose extra-cover drive has not been productive because of a sweeper.

TEAM ETHIC

Central contracts, put in place at the start of Nasser Hussain's reign as captain in 1999, have helped England's stars spend more time together.

England's huddle has been a feature of Vaughan's captaincy

But Vaughan's approach has taken "Team England" to a new level

"We're basically another county team," said Ashley Giles, who hit the winning runs in the fourth Test.

"We know each other that well. It's important in those tight situations, those 5% moments, that you understand each other."

England's team spirit is most obvious in the huddles Vaughan calls on the field, usually at the start of a day's play.

But there was also a huddle at the end of the Old Trafford Test, where he was quick to point out that Australia were celebrating a draw.

England have a musketeer ethic of one for all and all for one, that allows them to enjoy each other's personal achievements.

TAKING THE PRESSURE OFF

Undoubtedly, England's confidence was already high coming into this series on the back of 14 wins from their last 18 Tests, including eight in a row last summer.

He keeps the game simple; he doesn't put too much pressure on you - he says to enjoy it Simon Jones

But it has been helped by a captain whose happy-go-lucky grin is the antithesis of Nasser Hussain's win-at-any-cost glower.

Simon Jones, who has 18 wickets in the series so far, told BBC Sport: "He's a chilled-out captain.

"He keeps the game simple. He doesn't put too much pressure on you - he says to enjoy it.

"Nasser was more aggressive and in your face. He was a good captain as well but they are two different characters."

A team under more pressure could have panicked as Australia batted through Sunday morning at Trent Bridge.

But England had confidence in their tactics, gaining key wickets either side of lunch to bowl the tourists out just 128 ahead.

PUTTING THE PRESSURE ON

Aussie great Keith Miller, a World War II fighter pilot, argued that real pressure was having a Messerschmitt on your tail.

Ponting's outburst showed England had gained the upper hand

But England have managed a pretty decent approximation this summer, forcing Australia into errors - such as dropped catches - they would not normally make.

Chris Broad, an Ashes winner in 1986/87, told BBC Sport: "Australia haven't been put under pressure like this for a number of years.

"Most other sides know what it's like when you're under pressure - you do make mistakes."

That pressure comes from hostile bowling, stifling fields, aggressive batting and Australia's increasingly parlous position in the series.

But it has been stoked to just the right degree by Vaughan.

And there is the occasional cheeky tactic just to get under Australia's skin.

Ricky Ponting showed the whole world he had cracked under pressure with his four-letter outburst on being run out by a substitute fielder at Trent Bridge.

England responded by bringing on another substitute, Trevor Penney for Steve Harmison, just to rub it in.

The difference between a riled Ponting and a confident Vaughan could not have been highlighted more obviously.