Solanki in as Vaughan is ruled out

Michael Vaughan was a frustrated onlooker at the Riverside today as his England team went for their third straight win of the summer over Australia.

Captain Vaughan left the field with a groin strain during Tuesday night's battering of Bangladesh in Nottingham and failed to recover in time for the latest NatWest triangular tournament set-to at Chester-le-Street this afternoon.

Clearly there was no point risking Vaughan with England already virtually through to Saturday week's final.

But, having made a half-century when the Aussies were beaten in Bristol last weekend, he plainly wanted to play today and attempted to prove his fitness with some running and turning on the outfield a couple of hours before the start. It was no surprise, though, when Vaughan admitted defeat, and England gave his place to Vikram Solanki while Marcus Trescothick led the side. Ian Bell had been called up as cover but Solanki was first in line.

It was no shock, either, that England preferred Chris Tremlett to Jon Lewis in their attack today.

Lewis captured four wickets during the Twenty20 win over Australia. But he was the most expensive home bowler in Bristol last Sunday and 23-year-old Tremlett outshone him against Bangladesh on Tuesday after Darren Gough had been rested.

Australia suffered an injury problem of their own when batsman Michael Clarke was ruled out with lower back pain and was replaced by Andrew Symonds. They also replaced Mike Kasprowicz with fast bowler Brett Lee.