McGrath expected back as England sweat on Vaughan

HOBART - A revitalised Glenn McGrath is confident he'll be fit to play as England sweat over star batsman Michael Vaughan ahead of their one-day cricket match in Hobart tomorrow.

McGrath, who's been out with a side strain, said today it had been tough watching from the sidelines as Australia lost the fifth Test and was belted by Sri Lanka last night.

"I just can't wait to get back out there," he said.

The fast bowler said he was "90 per cent-plus fit and feeling pretty good".

But management will wait until they see how he pulls up following an afternoon bowl before deciding whether he will play.

"If it's going the same way it has from the last few bowls I've had, yes I'm confident I'll play," McGrath said.

However the management, which also has worries about Darren Lehmann's fitness following illness, will wait until the morning before finalising the team.

Captain Ricky Ponting said Lehmann was still feeling a bit tired and rundown.

"He's had a couple of days of not doing too much and we'll see how he pulls up in the morning," Ponting said.

England, with concerns over Vaughan's knee and shoulder and fast bowler Steve Harmison's shin splints, will also wait until the morning to name their team.

Captain Nasser Hussain is anxious to slot Vaughan, who made a mountain of runs as an opener in the Tests, into the top three of the one-day side.

Oddly, Vaughan has always batted at four or lower for England and his county Yorkshire in one-dayers.

"We would like to bat him in the top three, definitely," Hussain said.

"When he is the number two batsman in the world there's no point hiding him down the order."

But with the World Cup a month away, Vaughan and Harmison would be treated very carefully.

Hussain seemed unsurprised by Sri Lanka's stunning form reversal last night.

He said that while they appeared down and out after their match against Australia A in Adelaide, they had a much better batting lineup than their recent statistics suggested.

Ponting was still smarting from the heavy loss.

"Last night's game was disappointing," he said.

"It was not really an Australian team that took the field last night, I don't think.

"Our performance was not up to the high expectations we have of the team and we have spoken about that and we will speak about it again today and we will make sure that we are a better side tomorrow."

He agreed fatigue may have been a factor.

"I would be lying if I said some of the guys weren't a little bit tired," he said.

In that regard, McGrath's enforced rest may be a blessing in disguise.

McGrath said he'd been able to have a rest, work on his fitness and spend more time with his family.

"So even though it's been negative in one way, I've used it as a positive," he said.

The match should be played in fine weather on a Bellerive Oval wicket curator Peter Apps said should be dry, even and hard.

The match is a sell-out at the 16,000 capacity ground.