Buchanan dismisses Vaughan gossip

Michael Vaughan's "small window of opportunity" for the Ashes has been rubbished by John Buchanan as a "smokescreen" after he consulted with Jason Gillespie, who recently returned from a stint with Yorkshire, on Vaughan's condition.

In reaction to Vaughan's surprising suggestion that he would be fit to make the Boxing Day Test, Buchanan admitted he was far from surprised about the gossip. "I never bought into the will-he-won't-he talk," he told The Sydney Morning Herald. "We will wait and see what squad they bring, and if some of what has been suggested about him playing in the Ashes has been a smokescreen. To us, this news wasn't unexpected.

"We haven't been doing any specific scouting of him, but I have spoken to Jason a few times. He has been in and around the Yorkshire side and has been seeing how Vaughan is doing. We fully expect England to have a very similar side to the one that played in the last Ashes series.

Vaughan's comments regarding his dodgy knee have varied. Last month he declared that he had no chance of returning before the VB Series. In July, he suggested his career was over. A report in the Daily Mail has now quoted Vaughan as saying that playing in the Ashes was "definitely a target".

"A fit Vaughan is important, not just to England as a batsman, but also in the way that he leads," Buchanan said. "I'm sure he'll do everything he can to play in the Ashes."