LONDON - England middle-order batsman Michael Vaughan is doubtful for the first Ashes cricket Test against Australia starting next Thursday because of a burst cyst on his knee.

"He is 60-40 to play," an England and Wales Cricket Board spokesman said on Friday.

Graham Thorpe, England's leading batsman, is also struggling to recover from a calf muscle injury in time for the opening game of the five-Test series at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Thorpe, who missed the recent triangular one-day series against Australia and Pakistan, was ruled out of Surrey's county championship match against Lancashire this weekend.

The spokesman said left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, who missed the recent two-Test series against Pakistan, was still suffering from a stiff Achilles' tendon after bowling 70 overs for Warwickshire against Middlesex.

© 2001 AAP