Vaughan looks to extend good run against Australia

With the Ashes still a couple of months away, the bookmakers have yet to compile their prices on specialist markets, but it's worth taking a look at one of the men most likely to play a big role in the Test series - Michael Vaughan.

The England captain's main concern will be trying to wrest the Ashes from Australia for the first time since 1987, but while his tactical nous will be crucial if England are to succeed, his batting may be just as important.

Sporting Index will offer a host of individual player markets for the Test series, with one of the most popular their market for an individual player's runs across the five Tests.

When backing a player's total series runs, it's always important to weigh up how many times you think they'll bat. The fact that England are 10-3 underdogs for the series suggests they will bat twice in every match, and Vaughan, at most likely either No 3 or No 4, has a good chance of batting twice himself each time, weather permitting.

To that end, let's take a look at Vaughan's stats.

At 29, Vaughan is probably entering the peak years for a batsman, and his average of 44.20 from 55 Tests is certainly better than most. However, there is no doubt that his batting has dipped since he assumed the captaincy in 2003. In 31 Tests before being made captain, he averaged more than 50 with nine hundreds, but in his 24 Tests as skipper, it's fallen to less than 36, with just four centuries to his name.

Perhaps more interesting than that, though, is the effect his batting has on his team. As anyone who follows England will know, Vaughan has been one of England's most successful captains, with 15 wins and just four losses in 24 Tests. However, of his 13 centuries in his 55 Tests, only four have come in matches England have won, suggesting that his team are not reliant on his batting alone.

His centuries have been split fairly evenly between first and second innings, while eight have come at home and five away.

Australia's domination of world cricket for the past decade has meant that most players struggle against them, but Vaughan is a clear exception. While England's Ashes hopes lasted just 11 days last time round, he enjoyed a stunning series, hitting 633 runs in five Tests in Australia and smashing three hundreds.

Home comforts
On home soil, Vaughan's average is just short of 50, while those of you thinking of backing him to be top run-scorer in individual matches would do well to look at his past performances on each of the five grounds to be used this summer.

Indeed, the decision to drop Headingley from the rota favours Vaughan, who averages just 33 on his home ground in England colours.

The first Test is at Lord's, where he averages 57.27, while it goes up to a magnificent 60.5 at The Oval, venue for the final Test. The others are: Edgbaston (47.8), Old Trafford (44.6) and Trent Bridge (54.8).

One final thing. Vaughan hasn't made a Test hundred since the first Test against West Indies last summer, and with all the speculation about which position he should bat, it's worth noting that at No 3 he averages 42.2 in five innings, while at No 4 he averages just 35.7, having dropped down from opener, where he scored ten centuries, after the West Indies tour a year ago.