Battered England got a boost when captain Michael Vaughan was given the all clear signal to play in the do-or-die match against New Zealand of Commonwealth Bank Series to be played at the Gabba on Tuesday.

The match has become effectively a semi-final clash between the two teams, with the winner to face Australia in the best-of-three finals. England will look to restore some pride on this disastrous Ashes tour. Vaughan will return to the line up in place of Mal Loye.

Confirming his participation in the match, Vaughan said, "I got through everything, batting in the nets and fielding okay so I will be available. We have tested it really well over the last four or five days and I have done all that was required, so that is pleasing."

The 32-year old suffered a torn left hamstring during England's first victory of the Ashes tour against New Zealand three weeks ago at Hobart. Vaughan missed out five matches during the injury including England's 92-run victory over Australia on Feb 2.

Big guns faltered in the first round of the Dubai Desert Classic with English golfer Ross Fisher and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell sharing a seven-under-par 65 lead on Thursday.

The pair started to come to fore late in the day, moving just ahead of three-times champion Ernie Els who is a stroke behind with Jyoti Randhawa of India, Jose Manuel Lara of Spain, though he had hit a 66 earlier in the day. World No.1 and defending champion Tiger Woods had a frustrating day starting the tournament with a 68.

Speaking to the reporters after the round, the 27-year old McDowell said that he was happy with his display. "This course seems to be a game of two nines. The front nine doesn't really give up a whole lot of chances. I knew the back nine would yield a lot of birdies. I was very happy when I got on there and birdied 10 and then got things moving with an eagle on 13", he said.

The New York Yankees stadium will get a last opportunity to be in the limelight when it hosts Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2008 after which the Yankees will be moving to a new $955 million stadium.

Opened in 1923, the Yankees stadium holds a special place in the history of MLB, having witnessed the team's record 26 World Series championships. The stadium went a face lift after the 1973 season and was popularly known as "The House that Ruth Built."

Announcing the fixture Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said that the Yankee stadium deserved to be in the spotlight in its final season. "It is the most famous cathedral in baseball and I think the most famous stadium in the world. Celebrating unprecedented history was the overriding concern. This is the way we can honor a place that has meant so much to this sport for so long. Given the whole history of the Yankees and all the events that have taken place in Yankee Stadium, (it) was the right thing to do", Selig said.