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Fire still burns for one more tilt at Ashes
DAD happily watched his little lad joining in with the rest of the young cricketers attending the Academy up at Abbeydale that carries his name.
The little un had certainly got the right name on the back of the coloured England one-day shirt he was wearing - Vaughan - along with the number Dad chose as his own when they began numbering the shirts... 99.
"He actually played some Kwik cricket for our local club the other week and scored five," remarked his father.
Not bad for somebody who hasn't yet had four candles on his birthday cake.
Michael Vaughan knows he's going to have to make a lot more than his lad's five when his own batting career resumes in the four-day format tomorrow if one more tilt at the Ashes is going to be a realistic proposition.
The winning captain of 2005 knows what's required.
"If I churn out some runs, hundreds, then it'll get people talking and I want to put those in the team under pressure ," said Michael.
"It's not just about me ... Bell, Shah, Morgan, they're all good players and all fancying their chances too. But anything can happen between now and July 8 (the opening day of the 2009 Ashes series).
"A lot can happen in an Ashes series too; there's a lot of pressure because it's a series like no other.
"I had a good one as a batsman over there, a great one as a captain here, but none of that will get me in the team this time. The way I get in is by scoring runs."
He says he's found a lot of goodwill towards him around the country and it's a reaction he cherishes.
People are pulling for him and every low score earlier this season was painful for those hoping he could carve out an unarguable case for a recall.
But one has to ponder what will be the Vaughan future if the runs don't flow? What if that cherished Ashes series flows by without its great captain of 2005 getting near it? Will he play on after September?
"I'll make that decision later in the year," he said.
"If I've not made the Ashes, not scored runs and things going against me then maybe it's time - everyone says you'll know when it's the right to move over, and I won't hang around long if I feel it's right to go
"But I feel there's a lot to be given by playing for Yorkshire and a lot that I can give by just being around the team - there's not many opportunities where an England captain of 51 Tests can just go back and play county cricket.
"The young lads at Yorkshire enjoy me being around and, even if I'm not getting runs, perhaps I'm giving more to them than probably I give myself credit for."
Cristiano Ronaldo, I am reliably informed, is staying at Old Trafford.
My impeccable source says he is going nowhere. He won't be ending up at Real Madrid this summer.
So there you have it.
I am told by a very reliable source in Manchester that Cristiano Ronaldo will be joining Real Madrid this summer.
He's finally decided to leave and will be in La Liga next season.
If you happen to be confused by the conflicting two items immediately above then let me reassure you.
Got a view? Add your comment below.
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One of them will be right.
There's a story in one paper or another just about every day saying either of the two. One day he's going and the next he's staying.
It has become football's most tiresome story.
Look, he's either staying or he's going. We are all agreed on that. Which of them it is depends which day you pick up a paper.
One day, somebody will be right. Surely, one way or the other, today's column is!
Got a view? Add your comment below.
READ MORE
Watch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much more
Football headlines.
Football gossip.
Blades news
Blades watch 0809 - The season so far
Owls news
Owls watch 0809 - The season so far
Reds news.
Millers news.
More rugby.
More boxing.
Sports columnists.
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Weather for Sheffield
Friday 10 February 2012
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