England profiles: Michael Vaughan

By Mark Butcher Test batsman

FACTFILE Captain; right-handed batsman; off-break bowler Born: 29/10/74 Test debut: v South Africa, Johannesburg 1999 ODI debut: v Sri Lanka, Dambulla 2001 Averages: 2005 Ashes

Vaughan is a classical batsman and has got a terrific record against Australia.

He can be very attacking and likes to take it up to the opposition bowlers.

His success against the Aussies - and most teams - has come about because he has the technique and the mental game to cope with any battle.

Australia hadn't played against him before the last Ashes series.

But he was coming off a golden summer in 2002 and they saw him as someone they had to go after. They tried and failed to do so.

And he's a very good captain who has the full backing and respect of the team.

Both he and Ricky Ponting are tactically astute, so on that score the two skippers are pretty much level.

I think in the end it comes down to how well your team plays for you - you can only be as good a captain as your team allows you to be.

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Averages - 2005 Ashes

Batting
Matches 4 Innings 8 Not out 0
Runs 270 Highest score 166 Average 33.75

Bowling
Overs 5 Maidens 0
Runs 21 Wickets 0 Average --.--

All the averages: England and Australia