Michael Vaughan, who has been England's outstanding batsman by some distance this summer, may require knee surgery ahead of the Ashes tour later this winter. According to the Daily Express, Vaughan would discuss the problem with his doctors on Wednesday. Though he will certainly play in the decisive Test match against India at the Oval, the right knee has been troubling him for a while. Vaughan was quoted as saying that "it's just wear and tear - it might require a clean-out." England are already without Darren Gough and Andrew Flintoff for the ICC Champions Trophy, while both Craig White and Paul Collingwood are rated doubtful, with a side strain and back trouble respectively. Explorative surgery after the Oval Test would almost certainly mean Vaughan joining the invalid-and-unavailable ranks.

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