Opening partnership may split to make way for Vaughan

Michael Vaughan is set to open England's innings in their all-important triangular series encounter with Sri Lanka tomorrow at the Adelaide Oval.

Vaughan's promotion would split the partnership which has put over a hundred on the scoreboard in the last two games, that of Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight, with Knight likely to drop down to number three.

"That is probably what we will have to look at," admitted England's coach, Duncan Fletcher. "Sometimes you have to look at where you want to go in the long term and we may have to look at the left-hand, right-hand combination.

"There has got to be an advantage of that combination and they have batted well together in Test cricket."

It will be Vaughan's first appearance in the triangular tournament. He missed the ICC Champions Trophy following surgery on his right knee, and has been rested from matches in this series because the joint is not fully recovered.

"I've had 12 days of rehab and strengthening around the knee after it flared up following back-to-back Test matches," said Vaughan. "I am fit and available for selection and this is a massive game. Whoever wins tomorrow has one foot in the final.

"We have played some good cricket against Sri Lanka in this series - I know we lost in Sydney the other day - but we have beaten them twice so hopefully we will play like we did in Perth and Brisbane."

Sri Lanka are again without Muttiah Muralitharan, who strained the quadricep muscle in his right leg during yesterday's four-wicket defeat to Australia.

Fletcher added: "Any side that loses a world-class player is going to feel the effects of that, and when they are spinners and such a rare breed they play an important part in all forms of the game."

"I always thought it would boil down to the fact we have to beat them here. This is the crucial game and even if they had won yesterday we would still have been ahead of them with the bonus points if we do win this one."

Australia are also set to field a much-weakened side against England at Adelaide on Sunday, after deciding to rest Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee. But claims of tiredness in the Australian camp cut little ice with England's veteran wicket-keeper Alec Stewart.

"I have heard Australia saying they are tired, but they had three months off from July to September, Stewart pointed out. "We have been playing a bit more than that, and cricket is now more or less 12 months of the year."