Michael Vaughan looks certain to be given an international recall for next month's one-day series in a desperate bid to boost England's spirits after another disappointing tour of Australia.

The former England captain has not featured in a major international since returning home from India this year with a recurrence of his long-standing knee problems.

Vaughan had another operation but has stepped up his rehabilitation in recent weeks after being placed with England's Academy players in Perth.

With his recovery now almost complete, Vaughan is almost certain to be named in a 16-man squad to compete in a triangular tournament with Australia and New Zealand immediately following the Ashes series, which will serve as England's final preparations before the World Cup.

Asked about news of Vaughan's fitness, coach Duncan Fletcher confirmed: ''It's very positive. He's been training with Nigel Stockill (team physiologist) and he's moving around very freely.

''He says he hasn't felt so good for some time so that's very pleasing news. We'll talk to the other selectors and they'll obviously talk to Vaughan before deciding whether he is in the form to play.''

Vaughan's inclusion in the one-day series had always been the long-term plan despite speculation, particularly among the Australian media, that he could make a return ahead of schedule towards the end of the Ashes series.

Fletcher again confirmed he would not be considered for the back-to-back Tests at Melbourne and Sydney which complete the series, and stressed that Vaughan may not necessarily replace stand-in captain Andrew Flintoff as skipper for the one-dayers.

''The players have been very happy with Flintoff,'' confirmed Fletcher. ''We'll have to take that decision when we select the one-day side, but it's not an easy job selecting any side and those are the sort of things we must take into consideration.''

But whether Vaughan returns as a player or the captain, it will still serve as an inspiration to a tour party whose spirits are flagging, having surrendered ownership of the Ashes after defeats in the opening three Tests.

The criticism of coach Fletcher has also grown in recent weeks, although the man himself insists he is still enjoying the challenge of guiding England seven years after he accepted the offer to succeed David Lloyd in the role.

''I believe I still have something to offer this team,'' he claimed. ''I speak to the players and I still have their confidence, they still come to me on numerous occasions about tactics and I've still got their respect, which is very important.

''When I won the Ashes I reviewed my position and every time six months goes by I review my position, and I will continue that procedure until either I feel it's time to go or the ECB speak to me.

''I think it's proved successful from my playing days right through to where I am now. Every six months I review where I want to go and I stick by that.''

Fletcher insisted: ''I will make up my own mind. I have a look at where I've been and where I want to go and whether I want to go there.

''I will look at whether I'm enjoying the job or not. I am still enjoying the job at the moment.

''There are periods in coaching when you're helping the players and it's fantastic but you have your ups and downs and as long as there are more ups than downs you enjoy the job.''

He has given his support to stand-in captain Flintoff, who has also received his share of criticism, having struggled to repeat his heroics during the 2005 series when he inspired an unexpected England Ashes success.

Having chosen Flintoff ahead of Andrew Strauss as captain for this series, the critics believe it is far too great a workload for England's premier all-rounder.

But Fletcher said: ''He's done a good job. He's led from the front. He probably hasn't got the runs he'd have liked but he's bowled as well as he can and he's done a good job for England.

''You have to remember how many Tests he's captained before. Between him and Andrew Strauss they have not captained many Tests, and they were the two we had to choose from.

''He's been thrown on to a tour of Australia, which is always a difficult tour whether you're experienced or inexperienced. It's a difficult job and considering all that he's done as well as he possibly could.''

Fletcher was less supportive, however, of wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, who was preferred to rival Chris Read at the start of the series but has struggled throughout.

Preferred because of Fletcher's belief that Jones handles the pressure better, that certainly was not evident during the third Test defeat when he fumbled a stumping chance, dropped a key catch and suffered the first pair of his Test career.

''There is a selection process going on at the moment,'' confirmed Fletcher. ''I wish cricket was so simple that you picked someone and they'd score hundreds or get five wickets.

''People have some problem areas and if you look at Jones he hasn't got the runs we'd like. It showed in the way we folded yesterday, which is why batting in depth is so important.

''We were putting in a very good performance and suddenly it can just run away from you if you don't bat in depth.

"The guys didn't get the runs that were required yesterday.'