Australia intend to fully examine Michael Vaughan's fitness when England's Ashes-winning captain returns to international cricket.

Vaughan leads his country for the first time in more than a year in tomorrow's Twenty20 contest with the Australians at the SCG.

It will be only the second ever Twenty20 game between the two countries - England having thrashed the Aussies at Hampshire's Rose Bowl in June 2005.

It will inevitably take the 32-year-old Vaughan a couple of one-day matches to adjust to the intensity of the top level after recovering from an injury to his right knee which almost finished his career.

And Australia are primed to exploit any weakness while Vaughan is either in the field or running between the wickets during the early matches of the Commonwealth Bank triangular series, which starts this coming Friday and also features New Zealand.

"We try to exploit any deficiency, whether it is technical, physical, mental or tactical," said Aussie coach John Buchanan.

Pietersen top scored with 34 on his home ground and was voted man of the match when England routed the Aussies at the Rose Bowl in their previous Twenty20 clash. Amazingly, chasing 178 for victory, the tourists collapsed to 31-7 and were dismissed for 79.

That remains one of only FOUR one-day victories England have managed against Australia since Graham Hick hit a century in a day-nighter at Sydney in January 1999.

Pietersen's unbeaten 91, batting at No 6, gave England victory at Bristol in June 2005 while Marcus Trescothick's ton helped them to victory a month later in the NatWest Challenge.

The only other win was in the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston in September 2004.

England have lost their only two Twenty20 ODIs since that memorable Rose Bowl day - against Sri Lanka at the Rose Bowl last June and against Pakistan in Bristol in August.

Pietersen was out first ball on that latter occasion.