Vaughan stands down - Skipper's U-turn puts Collingwood in frame

The national team will reluctantly adopt a split-captaincy system with immediate effect after the country's most successful Test leader decided to focus his energy on regaining the Ashes.

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Pointing the way: Vaughan has decided a change of thinking is in order

Just a month after insisting that he was determined to fight for his job in both forms of the game, Vaughan completed a shock U-turn in order to prolong his career at international level.

After a dismal World Cup campaign as a captain and as a batsman, the 32-year-old's position in the one-day team was under review.

But it emerged yesterday he jumped before he could be pushed in order to save his knee rather than save face.

Four operations on a troublesome joint have taken their toll and, once he returned to Test cricket in this series against the West Indies, realism set in and he has opted to concentrate on his stronger suit.

In a statement, he suggested the retirement was from the captaincy alone, but his average of 27 in 86 matches is not up to scratch.

When the selectors announce their NatWest Series squad on Friday, his name will not be included and his one-day career will almost certainly be over.

"Since our disappointing performances in the World Cup, I have been giving careful consideration as to the best way forward for the England one-day team and my own role within the side," said Vaughan.

"I firmly believe the interests of the team will be best served if I step down and allow another player to gain additional experience of captaincy in the one-day international arena.

"I will continue to play one-day cricket for Yorkshire and it is not my intention to retire from one-day international cricket as a player.

"I do, however, fully appreciate that the new captain will need a period of time to establish his own authority."

Vaughan took over as England's one-day captain after the 2003 World Cup and his sterling work in reinvigorating the team convinced Nasser Hussain to step down as Test skipper shortly afterwards, giving the new leader total control.

Vaughan is hellbent on avenging the 5-0 Ashes whitewash, and his status as the best man for that job is not in doubt.

He added: "I'm committed to continuing as England's Test captain for as long as I can be successful in the role. I believe I will be able to form a strong working relationship with whoever is appointed to the one-day captaincy."

That man is surely Collingwood, 31, who yesterday gave another illustration of his increasing importance with a century at the Riverside in the fourth npower Test.

Thanks to his innings of 128, England made 400 and reduced West Indies to 83 for three, 30 behind, at the close.

Kevin Pietersen has been touted as a one-day captaincy contender, but feels the responsibility may harm his batting.

Andrew Flintoff has enough on his plate trying to return to peak fitness and form.

Only six England players have amassed more ODI caps than Collingwood's 121. He has an average of about 35, is a supreme fielder and a useful bowler.

But does he want the job? "If I were to be asked I would be happy to take it," he said. "We'll have to see if the selectors come knocking.

"There are a few candidates. I believe the split role can work. Australia had Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh, who were a great combination."

England will have to do without Ravi Bopara during the forthcoming Twenty20 and one-day series due to a thigh strain.

ER...HERE'S WHAT HE SAID ON MAY 15

"Split captaincy just doesn't work. You need one leader and the day I feel I can't do one form of the game will be the day I won't be able to do both.

"The easiest thing for me to do would be to retire from the one-day game but I haven't worked this hard over the last year or so to regain fitness just to give up part of the England captaincy.

"I'm going to fight and prove people who feel I should give up the one-day game wrong.