Vaughan has more urgent business at hand. His first hope must be that Marcus Trescothick can continue to cover over the widening cracks in England's team.
Trescothick's century meant England went into the final chapter of the Fourth Test with an outside one of winning. At 197 for five, they led by 189 runs. But regardless of the result, England are not the all-conquering team who triumphed in Port Elizabeth four weeks ago to claim a record eighth consecutive victory.
Steve Harmison may have delivered his last ball in a disappointing series for a man who came to South Africa as Test cricket's No1 bowler.
A calf injury limited him to 12.5 overs in South Africa's first innings here. Even if he is not fully fit, Harmison is determined to bowl later today. But with Friday's-final match in mind, Gloucestershire's Jonathan Lewis has been summoned to provide cover.
Andrew Flintoff 's batting has gone back to where it was three years ago. Yesterday, he got away with a heart-in-the-mouth hook against Shaun Pollock, the ball narrowly clearing fielder and boundary rope at mid-wicket.
But he fell to the very next delivery when Pollock invited him to cut and the resulting edge went through to Mark Boucher. Three times in four innings that shot has brought his downfall.
Graham Thorpe is also staring at the crest of a slump. The tame shot that produced a caught and bowled from Jacques Kallis meant he had totalled 39 runs in his last four innings.
But if you could wish anyone in the team a change of fortune it had to be keeper Geraint Jones, who dropped two catches here, off Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje, that cost England 60 runs or more.
