CRICKET/Fourth Ashes Test: Michael Vaughan gave England a glimmer of hope in Melbourne yesterday, and that commodity has been in desperately short supply this winter. Nobody was rushing out to bet against Australia, but just by taking the Test into a fifth day Vaughan restored pride - and he did so with another innings of such command over a quality attack that at times he took the breath away.
On 55 overnight, he might, had he gone for broke in the final quarter-hour of the morning, have pushed England to add a hundred runs in the session. On the way, though, he completed his seventh Test century, and, more pertinently, his sixth in 18 innings since he took Sri Lanka apart at Lord's last summer.
In the process he became the second most prolific scorer in a calendar year, his 1,481 runs overtaking India's Sachin Tendulkar on 1,392 as the leading run scorer in 2002.
If it has been evident to those involved in the game in England that he is a batsman of genuine world class since he and Marcus Trescothick took the attack to the Australians on the second day of the first Test, then that reputation has been enhanced as the series has unfolded. His 177 in Adelaide was marvellous; this innings of 145, spread over the weekend, simply stupendous.
He did not hang about. It took him 21 deliveries to move from 66 to 102, with a series of boundaries all round the wicket, three figures coming up with another pull rifled through midwicket as Brett Lee strained for extra pace and dropped fractionally short.
In the aftermath of his celebrations, Vaughan could have been forgiven if he lost some concentration, for while Nasser Hussain and David Gower are recent England players to have made two centuries in an Ashes series, it is a rarity. One could be luck, but not a brace.
But there was no lapse. Instead, Jason Gillespie was pulled high over midwicket for six, and Stuart MacGill similarly deposited. After lunch, Vaughan felt compelled to step out to MacGill and loft him elegantly for a third six over long-off before sweeping another boundary.
That prompted the leg-spinner to move to around the wicket and he had immediate revenge as, much to his relief, Vaughan attempted to chop down to third man and instead saw a top-class slip fielder in Martin Love hold a reflex catch.
Vaughan had added 90 more runs yesterday from 112 balls with 12 fours and three sixes to go with the seven boundaries he had already hit.
That innings, backed up by a maiden Test half-century from Robert Key and contributions from Hussain, John Crawley and Craig White, helped England to 387, their highest total of the series and their third highest second innings score ever at the MCG, and gave them a lead of 107, which Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer had reduced by eight at stumps.
Vaughan has now completed a remarkable calendar year at the crease that began unpromisingly in New Zealand but which has gathered pace ever since.
On Saturday, when reaching 44, he overtook Dennis Amiss's 28-year-old England record of 1,379 runs in a year, and yesterday, a further 28 took him to 1,408, one more than Sunil Gavaskar managed in a heady 1979.
By the time he had finished, he could boast 1,481 runs in the year at an average of almost 62, and, in aggregate, behind only Viv Richards' remarkable 1976 record of 1,710 runs, with seven hundreds. It is exalted company he keeps now.
Yesterday he acknowledged his debt to the England coach Duncan Fletcher. "It has been pretty special to score six centuries," he said, "and the manner in which I have scored them has been pleasing.
"These against Australia have been extra special because they are my first abroad and they are against one of the best teams of all time.
"They put you under such incessant pressure, you have to be flying to score runs against them. But before the tour I had convinced myself it would be only the same red ball coming down at me as for the past 10 years. The work with Duncan has been a great help, teaching me new shots and working on basics such as stance and trigger movements."
There was praise, too, from MacGill, who while in no way carrying the aura of Shane Warne, nor indeed the uncanny standards of accuracy, still spun his way - sharply at times - through 48 of the 120.4 second-innings overs bowled by Australia to take five for 152, his fifth five-wicket haul in 18 matches and his third in four innings against England.
MacGill knew what to expect from Vaughan after his brief and incredibly successful time at Nottinghamshire last season.
"I was pleased with getting him out," he admitted. "He plays so well and has great concentration. He is one of the most composed batsmen that I have played against.
"There are really good shots there and you cannot afford to be off the game because he puts every full toss away for four or six and that puts the pressure on. If Brian Lara is head and shoulders above anyone in my playing experience, then Vaughan has a faultless temperament."
The innings of Key, Crawley and White all showed they should have a part to play when England begin the rebuilding process next summer. Key responded well after his second-ball nought in the first innings, while Crawley's technique is now unquestionably tighter.
White, not included in the original touring party, has been a revelation, taking his chance to bowl wholeheartedly. Stauncher lower-order support on Saturday might have helped him to a well deserved century but the side strain he took in bowling on the second day will almost certainly rule him out of the final Test in Sydney, and could well wreck his hopes of figuring in the World Cup.
