Vaughan: All of us need playing time

Michael Vaughan today defended England's decision to field an extra player in their opening warm-up victory over Namibia in Windhoek and insisted the tourists were not flouting the laws of cricket.

England caused controversy on last winter's tour to the West Indies by playing more than the regulation 11 players in their warm-up matches.

They were expected to be thwarted by the Namibian Cricket Board, who had already rejected coach Duncan Fletcher's request to play 14 in yesterday's fixture, but relented and allowed Simon Jones to bowl although he was not in the batting line-up.

Jones claimed the key wicket of opener Danie Keulder for 57 as Namibia slipped to a 67-run defeat after being restricted to 193 for four in reply to England's 260 for six in a match reduced to 42 overs a side because of a damp outfield.

But Vaughan argued that England were only trying to get rid of their early-tour rustiness.

"On tours these days you don't get as many games of cricket," he said. "We played 12 players in the Caribbean and we try to get as many players as possible batting and bowling. It is just logic when you only have two games going into an international on Friday.

"They did exactly the same because they had a guy who batted at number three who did not field. They took a bit of persuading but it is a huge occasion for them and it was a warm-up match for us."

While England's motives may have slightly offended locals, who turned up in their thousands to watch Namibia's first home match against a leading cricket nation, Vaughan was full of praise for how they managed to get the game on in the first place.