/ Editor / 21 March 2007 /

Michael Vaughan is expected to shake off a freak knee injury in time for England's Group C match against Kenya on Saturday.

England's skipper tripped over a pot hole on Tuesday, forcing him to miss a practice batting session at the Gros Islet ground as he received treatment from physio Dean Conway.

England insisted afterwards Vaughan's absence was precautionary and that his knee, the same one that kept him out of action for most of last year following surgery, would be fine for Saturday.

England do not have a vice-captain following the decision to strip shamed all-rounder Andrew Flintoff of the role.

The 29-year-old was involved in a late-night drinking session that ended with him needing to be rescued from a pedalo in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Andrew Strauss is an unlikely option as he has been ousted by Ed Joyce in the starting line-up, leaving Paul Collingwood as the stand-out choice.

Collingwood wrote in his BBC column: "If a deputy is needed for Michael Vaughan, I think the management will look at the team and make a decision from there.

"I do not have a lot of captaincy experience in my professional career but the vice-captaincy is an important role and of course I would like to be given that responsibility."

England are the 1.13 favourites to beat Kenya (8) in the Match Odds market and secure their place in the Super 8 stage of the Caribbean showpiece. Vaughan's men can also be backed at 1.02 to qualify for the next group phase of the tournament.
Vaughan is trading at 8 in an emerging market to end the West Indies event as the top batting captain, having already made 63 runs from the opening two Group C games.

Vaughan is also available at 5.1 - behind Kevin Pietersen (2.76) and Collingwood (4) - to finish as the top England runscorer.

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>