Michael Vaughan batted for Yorkshire with his mind very much on England when the rain-soaked Roses match finally got started on the third day at Old Trafford yesterday.

The England captain, who was having his first knock in three weeks, got rid of some of his rustiness with a patient 74 which took him four hours and eight minutes during which time he faced 210 deliveries and struck eight fours.

Although valuable preparation for the first Test against India which starts at Lord's in just over a week's time, it was a one-paced innings and Yorkshire still had a lot of work to do to make sure of a decent score when Vaughan was finally out in the 66th over to leave the score on 172 for five.

Gerard Brophy and Adil Rashid were in a more positive frame of mind and by the time bad light ended play with 12 overs still remaining Yorkshire had moved on to 254 for six with the prospect of a further batting bonus points today.

It was entirely due to captains Darren Gough and Mark Chilton that the game was able to begin after only a 15-minute delay because the umpires still did not think that the ground was fit and they reserved the right to suspend play if they felt that conditions were dangerous.

Their intervention was never required and bowling and fielding was less hazardous than had been feared. In view of all the enthusiasm shown to make a match of it, Yorkshire's decision to accept the offer of poor light when it was hardly gloomy was difficult to understand.

Winning the toss, Lancashire asked Yorkshire to bat and after hanging around the dressing room for a couple of days, Joe Sayers must have been distraught to be lbw to James Anderson's second ball which dipped into his pads.

While Vaughan struggled to find his touch, batting appeared much easier for Anthony McGrath who was soon playing some quality shots, none better than when he stood up and forced Tom Smith off the back foot for four to raise the 50 in the 20th over.

Vaughan moved carefully to 20 out of 59 for one in the 23rd over when he cut Steven Croft fiercely to backward point where the ball forced its way through the hands of Anderson.

There was just time before lunch for McGrath to reach his 50 off 81 balls, but soon after the interval he was lbw for 56 to a delivery from Anderson which nipped back sharply.

Vaughan, who would have been run out for 35 if Croft had scored a direct hit on the stumps, moved to his own half century with an on-driven four off Gary Keedy, and he survived another sharp chance on 61 when Dominic Cork could not quite hold on to the ball as he dived away to his right at second slip.

Cork produced a brute of a ball that surprised Jacques Rudolph with its extra bounce and the South African gloved a catch to Stuart Law at second slip before going to hospital for a precautionary X-ray on his left thumb.

The introduction of Sanath Jayasuriya with his left-arm spin brought about the downfall of Vaughan who surprisingly offered no stroke to an arm ball and had his off and middle stumps hit.

Rashid seemed unaffected by a ball from Cork which struck him in the chest and, after tea, he and Brophy brought more urgency to the batting, Brophy going to his 50 by guiding Smith for his sixth boundary while a cut by Rashid off Anderson sped to the boundary.

The sixth wicket pair added 89 in 23 overs before Rashid slashed too impetuously at Anderson and was caught behind, leaving Brophy unbeaten on 58 at the premature close.