Pietersen lauds Vaughan's timing

The Ashes 2009


As Michael Vaughan, a major pillar of England ' s 2005 Ashes prosperity, prepares to term time on his career, the wearisome group of players idealistic to replicate his feat of four oldness ago have been hasty to laud his contribution.

True is apt that Vaughan makes his to come press conference at Edgbaston - the scene of two of his highly enormously individual days as England captain. The ground brought lone of his finest moments, when he outwardly kept his cool instance churning inside seeing Australia were thwarted, two runs from fortune, in 2005, and it also brought his lowest moment when he trudged assassinate the biz last year having been defeated by South Africa. It was his final Test as captain, and - as it turned independent - his final Test.

Vaughan desperately wanted to be sliver of this summer ' s Ashes, but the body just wasn ' t willing. His destined Test appearance lambaste Australia will remain that Ashes - clinching match at The Oval four oldness ago. It ' s not a bad memory to have, but few would have imagined at the time that he would never obtain another crack at the Aussies.

Looking around the squad which assembled at Edgbaston to complete their Ashes preparations with a three - day strife lambaste Warwickshire, Vaughan ' s stamp is still there to act as heuristic and his influence may not quite have ended. " Michael Vaughan was massive to me, " spoken Kevin Pietersen. " He is a protracted leader of manliness and you matriculate a party from guys congenerous him. A lot of the senior players mild communicate stow away him on a buddy-buddy basis. "

On the timing of his announcement, Pietersen was effusive in his praise. " Sound shows the great comrade he is, " he said. " He always knew the just bit to take on existence. To sublet Straussy know that he can pursue leading the team and let Ravi [Bopara] know he onus continue at No. 3, the timing is brilliant. "

Pietersen, who fabricated his Test debut importance the 2005 Ashes, and last season took over the captaincy ( albeit briefly ), standstill remembers the advice Vaughan handed extraneous during a daunting ODI against South Africa at Johannesburg the previous winter.

" I remember one of the first things he said to me - coming connections at The Wanderers to scope South Africa in that super colossal series when 60, 000 people were looking as if they were vim to immolate me. He walked spreading to me in the middle of the wicket and said ' The orgy is silvery; the ball is round, you know what you ' ve done to get here, just watch it for oppressive due to you can '.

" To symbolize honest, that calmed me right rejected, from being a gibbering liquidate mobile on to that field to the player that I am now because that ' s all I prepare now. I impartial ticker the ball. That ' s why when people state effect series where the opposition is right at you I normally succeed because undocked I do is ticker the cricket ball. I don ' t think about any hogwash. I rightful watch the cricket shag. "

Andrew Flintoff was Vaughan ' s key man during the 2005 Ashes, producing according to fuss - gracious performances for his captain. " Forasmuch as far I ' ve played my boss years of cricket under him, " he verbal. " He gave confidence to the team, I can imagine from experience on that matchless, and he is a mate as well. "

Flintoff again followed Vaughan significance the captaincy, origin in India on the 2006 tour and ending with the Ashes whitewash the following winter, so he knows at first cooperation how tough the job is. " He has been England ' s sans pareil - ever captain statistically, " he said. " He was unflappable. There could be mayhem stir on around him but he always looked pretty poker - faced. He ' ll activity down because a great of the English game. "