Birmingham, England, July 6: England batsman Michael Vaughan may not be back as quickly as he and the selectors would like, the Yorkshire batsman said Friday, after keyhole surgery Thursday on his left knee.

It was hoped he would be back in time for the Third Test against Australia at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, starting on August 2.

But after undergoing the 20-minute operation to repair a torn cartilage, which forced him to miss the First Test currently being played here at Edgbaston, he may not be back in time.

He is not expected to start running again for at least another week.

"There's no pain in my knee now - it's just swollen like a football," Vaughan said.

"I might struggle to be back for the third Test because I will need some county cricket before I come back and Yorkshire are playing Surrey at the start of next month and I'm aiming to be playing in that match."

Vaughan's knee problem is the latest in a long line of injuries that have blighted his career.

After making his England debut in South Africa in the 1998-99 season, a hand injury prevented him playing in the third Test at Durban and he then missed the start of the following season after breaking his hand, only returning for the Second Test victory over West Indies at Lord's.

He was again frustrated by injuries last winter when he missed all three Tests in Pakistan, eventually returning for the Third Test against Sri Lanka, although he had regained fitness at the start of that campaign.