BIRMINGHAM (England), Aug 2: Michael Vaughan became an injury doubt for England just 48 hours before the second Test against Australia at Edgbaston after suffering a badly bruised elbow. The England captain was hit on the right elbow while batting in the nets at the Birmingham ground on Tuesday against seamer Chris Tremlett, and underwent an x-ray at a local hospital.

While he did not break his elbow he will have to undergo another assessment on Wednesday. “Michael Vaughan’s elbow is not broken but heavily bruised,” an England spokesman said.

“The x-ray revealed no fracture and the injury will be reassessed tomorrow (Wednesday) at practice.”

England opener Marcus Trescothick, who captained England against New Zealand at Lord’s last year when Vaughan last missed a Test through injury, because of a knee problem, said that it could well heal by the time the match gets underway.

“It’s a little bit unknown at the moment. I’ve been hit there quite a few times, actually,” said Trescothick.

“Caddy (Andrew Caddick) used to hit me there for fun and generally for 24 hours it’s really, really painful.

“Then it eases off pretty quick. You keep it compressed and iced and it’s all right. We’re hopeful but it’s pretty sore at the moment. We’ll assess it tomorrow.”

Vaughan came into this match having hit a one-day hundred for Yorkshire against Derbyshire on Sunday after managing just seven runs in the 239-run first Ashes Test defeat at Lord’s last month.

Meanwhile, Australia coach John Buchanan insisted he had no qualms about seeing his side’s ageing attack involved in back-to-back Tests.

There is just a two-day gap scheduled between the second Test and the third Test at Old Trafford.

Before this Ashes campaign got underway England seamer Matthew Hoggard questioned whether 35-year-old duo Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, Australia’s star bowlers, could stand up to the rigours of back-to-back games.

“These next 14 days are pretty crucial to the whole tour,” Buchanan said.

“One of the aspects of playing back-to-back Test matches is the fitness and mental toughness of individuals in both teams.

“It’s a pretty big issue. The weather will dictate that a bit. There’s no doubt that a team that is fit and mentally strong will have some advantage by the end of these two games.”—Agencies