Vaughan and Pietersen boost for England

Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen: both could be back in time for the Lord's Test © Getty Images

England have received a boost in the build-up to the first Test at Lord's which starts next Thursday (May 17) with the news that Michael Vaughan may recover in time to play. However, Stuart Broad is unlikely to come into contention for one of the pace bowling slots after being forced out of the Leicestershire's current match against Derbyshire with a knee injury.

Vaughan suffered a broken finger last week when he was struck on the hand in a County Championship match by Hampshire's Stuart Clark. The initial prognosis was that he would need between three and four weeks to recover.

But Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire's director of cricket, told the BBC that Vaughan had "definitely improved since it happened last week.

"I don't know whether they've made a decision or not but he's getting better," Moxon said. "I've not had a chance to speak to him yet today but hopefully we'll know by early next week."

Broad, though, is expected to be out for a couple of weeks. "This is a fresh injury which flared up earlier this week and we have sent him to see a specialist in London," Tim Boon, the Leicestershire coach, told the club website. "At this stage, I anticipate that he will be out for another two games and we are just hoping that it is not even longer."

But there was better news regarding Kevin Pietersen, who missed the current round of county matches with a strain to his left calf. He expects to have fully recovered in time for the Test.