Aussies have fitness weak link says ex England skipper Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan believes Australia could be one injury away from Ashes series 'vulnerability'.
England's Joe Root with former England captain Michael VaughanEngland's Joe Root with former England captain Michael Vaughan
England's Joe Root with former England captain Michael Vaughan

The former England captain Vaughan insists Joe Root’s men could claim a series win, if injuries play their part. England will step into the cauldron of an opening Ashes Test on November 23, with Vaughan declaring:“Australia are favourites on their home soil but they are carrying people too. They are one injury away from being very vulnerable.

“You have two outstanding players in Smith and Warner. Around them you have vulnerability.

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“They don’t have the engine room of England but then again that engine room doesn’t have a lot of success behind it in conditions like they’ll find in Australia.”

James Vince has been drafted in as England seek extra frontline batting balance, with the 26-year-old having been in the Test wilderness since his last appearance, against Pakistan in August 2016.

Vaughan believes the Hampshire star must now seize would could well prove his last chance to prove his Test match class.

“James Vince should look at this as an opportunity that would not come,” said Vaughan, speaking on behalf of BT Sport.

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“Around August time he was signing contracts, a Big Bash contract, he’d signed in the South African league and was probably looking at the Pakistan Super League.

“His mindset was away from England’s Test match fortunes. He has been given a chance. Sometimes that chance comes unexpectedly and you take it. This is the one chance he’s got.

“Cook and Root, within the batting unit, are going to be crucial to how England play. It will come down to that senior group of seven - Cook, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes, Anderson, Broad and Root - to perform.

“It would be wrong not to focus on them and say ‘come on, lads, it’s our week this week. We can’t be reliant on the four relatively inexperienced players this week. We will try to drag them along but it’s down to us seven’.”