Fletcher needs to find the answers

Duncan Fletcher has been here before, all too often. But the pressure on England's coach to come up with some good answers is greater now than at any time throughout his four-year reign.

The thumping Second Test defeat by South Africa at Lord's puts Fletcher in a position that should seem familiar. Once again, England are left trying to fight back from going one-down to take a series.

This time, though, there is no Nasser Hussain as captain for the troops to rally behind and it is unfair to expect Michael Vaughan, barely accustomed to being the new man in charge, to assume, instantly, the roles of tub-thumper, team motivator and public-relations consultant, as well as trying to prepare himself for Thursday week's Third Test at Trent Bridge.

Fletcher has been more than happy to stay in the background as much as possible since his 1999 appointment. By general consensus, the essentially reserved 54-year-old Zimbabwean is an excellent coach, particularly when able to work with players on a one-to-one basis. But, right now, Fletcher needs to be more of a front man to remove some of the weight from Vaughan's slim shoulders.

Hussain has never had a bad word to say about the coach he barely knew by sight when they were flung together after the summer of 1999.

As for Vaughan, he is a shining example of a player who blossomed and, hopefully, will continue to do so under Fletcher's guidance. Put the coach on a tricky public wicket, though - as was the case after the thrashing at Lord's - and he looks uncomfortable. "It could have been a little bit of complacency," suggested Fletcher when asked to comment on Vaughan's belief that England were less hungry for success than South Africa at Lord's.