GRAEME Hick looks set to retain his England place now that Michael Vaughan has been ruled out of the third and final Test against Pakistan which opens in Karachi tomorrow.

The out-of-form County star has been told to standby for action after Vaughan failed a morning fitness check at the National Stadium today.

Hick has scored only 48 runs in three Test innings this winter and has averaged only 21 in the eight Tests he has played since coach Duncan Fletcher took charge.

Yorkshire batsman Vaughan has been sidelined for a fortnight with a calf strain sustained while fielding in the warm-up match at Peshawar shortly before the opening Test.

He was hopeful of making a recovery after a week's rest and strengthening exercises in the pool.

But he failed to play a full part in the tourists' final practice, having a short bat in the nets but failing to bowl for a long period and has been ruled out of England's selection options.

Captain Nasser Hussain said: "He's not passed his fitness test. He's about 80 per cent fit and he could probably play in a county game, but not a Test match so he won't be risked."

Andrew Flintoff is another possibility as a specialist batsman, but he has faced only one delivery in a match situation since October 30 and England are more likely to keep an unchanged line-up.

Their only other doubt is wicketkeeper-batsman Alec Stewart, who has been suffering with tennis elbow on his left arm since the last Test in Faisalabad but is expected to be fit enough to take his place.

Hussain said: "Alec has a bit of tennis elbow, which I've had in the past.

"It is sore at the moment, but there's only about a 1 per cent chance he won't be fit in the morning.

"He obviously holds the key to the balance of our side so we're going to see how he is in the morning and we'll give him until then to tell us how fit he is."

Stewart has had ice treatment on the elbow and physiotherapist Dean Conway said: "We are not looking at him as a major doubt for the Test and we're planning to continue with the ice treatment to see if that eases his discomfort."