ON THIS DAY: VAUGHAN'S ONE-MAN SHOW IN ADELAIDE

The Cricketer looks back on famous moments in Ashes history during England’s trip Down Under

The Cricketer looks back on famous moments in Ashes history during England’s trip Down Under.

Today’s it’s the tale of an England opener, a disputed catch and the route to becoming world number one...

Among the carnage that was England’s 2002-03 Ashes tour, one man emerged with barely a scratch.

Michael Vaughan was already enjoying the year of his life, thanks to a summer spent carting India and Sri Lanka to all corners, when he arrived Down Under. It was soon to get even better.

Vaughan had hit four centuries in seven matches back home, including a career-best 197 at Trent Bridge, and was well on his way to becoming the best batsman in the world - a title he held for a shade under seven weeks in the spring of 2003.

The sight of the elegant opener down on one knee, sliding anything even slightly wayward through the covers or leaning back to pull to leg, his front foot pointed as if he were in rehearsal for Swan Lake, had become comfortingly familiar.

Finally, England felt they had a suitable opening partner for Marcus Trescothick for the first time since Michael Atherton’s retirement.

Yet Vaughan had to prove himself in the most hostile environment of them all, against the premier seamer in the game.

"I saw a bit of England's series against India," said Glenn McGrath, never one to shy away from a verbal jousting session, before the series began.

^{Michael Vaughan walks off after scoring 177 in Adelaide}

"And from what I saw Vaughan looks a pretty correct player. He's patient. I wouldn't class him as a flamboyant player.

“We'll watch some footage and work a few things out. It should be a good contest."

At Brisbane, it was no contest at all.

Vaughan was twice snared by McGrath - caught behind by Adam Gilchrist and then lbw first ball in the second innings. Throw into the mix his ongoing battles with knee and shoulder injuries and, for all the promise of the summer, there was concern that sensational form would not translate into runs abroad.

Then came November 21, the first day of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval.

Nasser Hussain won the toss and, unsurprisingly after the furore of fielding first in Brisbane 10 days earlier, elected to bat.

MORE FROM THE CRICKETER: When England broke the one rule of touring Australia

Vaughan might have been the stylish foil to Trescothick’s more belligerent sword but he was no plodder. Just under a year previously, during a tour of New Zealand, he had resolved to take his game to the opposition attack.

“I was going to discover just where I could get on the power of positive thought and strokeplay,” he later wrote in his autobiography.

“I was going to be the new me.”

Hitting 182 in a day against India the previous summer gave a glimpse of what was possible, as did his 33 in 36 balls at the Gabba.

By the time the Adelaide air started to cool that evening, Australia had witnessed Vaughan in full flight. He was dismissed by the final ball of the day for a classy 177. It was scintillating.

Writing in the Independent, Angus Fraser described the knock as “as good an innings as you are likely to see”.

^{Vaughan had a scintillating 2002/03 Ashes campaign}

But it was not chanceless nor without controversy.

On 19, Vaughan sliced the ball to Justin Langer at point. The Aussie batsman had to lean in front of himself to take the catch but he was adamant it was a clean take. Vaughan was not convinced and remained his ground, much to the agitation of Langer who felt his integrity was being questioned.

"If I'd have said I wasn't sure I'd caught it, I could understand. I guess it's his prerogative to stand his ground," Langer steamed afterwards.

Umpire Steve Bucknor referred the incident to Steve Davis in the TV booth. As is so often the case, replays threw up more confusion. Davis could not award the catch and Vaughan survived.

“I think if you asked any batsman in our team, any batsman in their team, they would have done exactly the same,” he later said.

"I'm in my rights to do that. I didn't make the rules up that you can call for the replay."

Vaughan went on to hit two further tons on that wretched tour, ending top of the series aggregates and averages with impressive figures of 633 runs at 63.30.

England could proudly say they had the world’s best among their ranks.

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