The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, England

Michael Vaughan stepped down as England's test cricket captain on Sunday, following a string of poor individual and team performances.

Vaughan announced his decision at a news conference just a day after England lost the third test in four days against South Africa at Edgbaston, giving the tourists an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

Immediately after the announcement, the England and Wales Cricket Board said Paul Collingwood had also decided to step down as England one-day captain, clearing the way for a new player to lead both teams. The ECB said it would announce the new captain on Monday, with British media naming Kevin Pietersen as the likely choice.

Vaughan struggled with his batting throughout the South Africa series, totaling just 40 runs in five innings, and was harshly criticized in British media after Saturday's five-wicket defeat.

After holding the captaincy for five years, Vaughan said his "mind hasn't been as fresh" lately, and that it was time for a break.

He said he will not play in the final test at The Oval, but that he hopes to return as a batsman for England for several more years.

Vaughan has an impressive test average of 41.44 from 82 matches. "I wish my mind was fresher and I wish I could've taken it on another year," Vaughan said. "But I've had five unbelievable years. t It's just the right time, I feel, to move forward with a

new captain, a new direction."

Vaughan has been one of England's most successful - and popular - captains, leading the team to victory in the Ashes three years ago.

However, he missed the 2006 season because of knee and hamstring injuries and resigned as one-day captain after resounding defeat in the Ashes in Australia.

"Whoever gets the job will need a little bit of time," Vaughan said. "I was pretty average at the start and got better as time wore on. But the England team need a leader to guide them in the right direction."

The ECB's managing director Hugh Morris hailed Vaughan as one of England's all-time greats, and said he expects him to return as one of the country's top batsmen.

"Michael led from the front and led with honesty and integrity every step of the way," Morris said. "He took the England captaincy to new heights. Michael was the best possible ambassador for the game and his record as captain speaks volumes for the character he instilled in the dressing room."

Vaughan became teary-eyed as he thanked his family for its support throughout the years.

After a short break from the game, he said he will finish the county season with Yorkshire, and hopes to be selected for the England squad for next year's Ashes.

"I really believe that these can be the best years of my playing career," he said.

Collingwood, who took over from Vaughan as one-day captain, said his own playing performances had suffered because of the added responsibility.

"I've always enjoyed representing my country at the highest level and it has always been my ambition to play cricket, across all forms of the game, but I've found the extra workload of the captaincy to be very difficult," Collingwood said. "The last thing

I want is for the captaincy to impact my performance and that of the teams, which is why I've arrived at this decision after a huge amount of consideration."