It wasn't to be - both an embarrassing lack of runs for Yorkshire and Ravi Bopara's tons against West Indies and the Riverside eventually convinced everyone it was time to move on.
So Michael Vaughan is an ex-England cricketer. But, with another Ashes approaching, it is well worth recalling just how good he was.
In 12 Test matches, between May 2002 and January 2003, the elegant right-hander with a cover drive to drool over took seven centuries off Sri Lanka, India and Australia and was named the world's No 1 Test batsman.
Vaughan's batting never again scaled those heights. But he was about to perform an even greater service for England by taking over the captaincy at a time when everyone - not least departing skipper Nasser Hussain - knew that a change of direction was necessary.
Hussain and coach Duncan Fletcher had lifted England from the bottom of the pile in 1999 to mid-table respectability by 2003.
Now, though, players who had been led by the nose needed setting free a little - given a bit more licence to express themselves.
Vaughan could be a tough disciplinarian when necessary, and no one with any sense took liberties, but his generally lighter touch helped to set the team on a golden run of success that culminated in the reclamation of the Ashes.
He supplied a relatively modest four centuries during that red-hot streak and made just one more - 166 at Old Trafford - as Australia were beaten. But his contribution as captain should never be under-estimated.
"Michael had character and mental strength in bucket loads," says Ashley Giles, the former left-arm spinner turned England selector.
"As captain, he treated everyone as an individual, believed that the guys would play their best cricket by expressing themselves and not having that fear of failure.
"He gave us all confidence. Everyone who came into the side felt comfortable, almost loved, in the dressing room."
Fletcher should have called it a day after the 2005 Ashes series. And, as it transpired, Vaughan's best days had been and gone as well.
In Vaughan's case, never-ending problems with his knee turned him into a hobbling passenger on tours of Pakistan and India but he seemed desperate to fight back. Too desperate at times.
Although not fit enough to play a part in the Ashes tour of 2006/7, Vaughan still went to Australia during the Test series with his very presence in Brisbane and Perth seeming to cast a shadow over substitute skipper Andrew Flintoff.
And, on pure form grounds, there was no way he should have been part of the abysmal World Cup campaign that followed.
A blemish or two, yes. But, just like Fletcher, Vaughan walks away heavily in credit.
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