Michael Vaughan has insisted he still has a future with England despite being left out of the squad to tour the West Indies. The former captain was awarded a central contract earlier this year, but he has not played for England since resigning the captaincy in August. Writing in his column in the London newspaper The Daily Telegraph Vaughan said he was not surprised he has been overlooked this time, but vowed to earn back his place.
"It was disappointing but not a huge surprise to learn I had not been picked for England's tour to the West Indies," Vaughan wrote. "England have been consistent with their selection over the past few years and Geoff Miller, the national selector, said a few months ago that I would need to score runs to get back into the side." The terrorist attacks in Mumbai, Vaughan said, had led to the cancellation of England Lions games he hoped to use to show what he can still do.
He added: "I still feel I am mentally fresh and dangerous as a player but I understand the decision not to pick me. Now I just want to bide my time and enjoy a proper, settled pre-season with Yorkshire. "Preparing for the summer and scoring runs at the start of the season is the best way for me to force my way back into the England side." Vaughan vowed to put Yorkshire first next year, and revealed he has turned down an offer to join the Lions in New Zealand next year in order to travel to Abu Dhabi with Yorkshire.
"I have to knuckle down with Yorkshire and start the season as well as I can," he wrote. "If that happens then I will put guys under pressure and still have the chance to play for England again, something that I dearly would like to do during an Ashes summer." sports@thenational.ae
