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| |  Saturday, 2 June, 2001, 11:40 GMT 12:40 UK New star blooms for England Magic moment: Vaughan reaches his ton at Old Trafford Following his maiden Test century, BBC Sport Online profiles England batsman Michael Vaughan. As the Lancashire members stood to acclaim Michael Vaughan's first Test century, it is likely that many of them had no idea they were applauding one of their own. For although he is very much Yorkshire and England, it was in fact a home town hundred by Manchester-born Vaughan. It is not too many years ago when the idea of a Lancastrian appearing in the Yorkshire team would have prompted traditionalists at Headingley to choke into their beer. No-one born outside the Broad Acres could play for the White Rose county but times change and Vaughan, whose parents crossed the Pennines when he was very young, was one of the first beneficiaries of a relaxation of the rule.
The family's move, and his subsequent development through the Yorkshire schools system and graduation to a place on the county staff, has now benefitted the England team. In his 11th Test appearance, 18 months on from his England debut, Vaughan came of age as an international cricketer with his 120 against Pakistan. After batting at number six in the final Test of England's winter tour to Sri Lanka, skipper Nasser Hussain and coach Duncan Fletcher decided his elevation up the order could not be delayed any longer. In a selfless act, Hussain decided to drop himself a place in order to give Vaughan the vital number three slot for the first Test of the 2001 summer against Pakistan. His response was a typically polished 33 before being caught behind off Azhar Mahmood. But question marks remained. Could Vaughan now lift his game to a new level and begin improving a record of 439 runs in 10 Tests at an average of under 28? The answer at Old Trafford was emphatic - his hundred arriving off 191 deliveries, albeit via a highly unusual six, made up of two run by Vaughan and four overthrows. Tall, stylish and determined, it now seems only a matter of time before Vaughan replaces Michael Atherton - a player he has modelled himself on - as England's regular Test opener.
Chosen as the Daily Telegraph's Under-15 Batsman of the Year in 1990, Vaughan has been accumulating honours ever since. He joined the Yorkshire staff after playing for the county schools side and his progress was rapid as sheer weight of runs earned him a place in the second XI. His first-class debut came when he was still a teenager in 1993. But it might never have happened. Future England seam bowler Peter Martin spent most of his boyhood in Yorkshire, but was lost to the county because he had been born 'over the border' in Accrington. Vaughan, however, was one of the first beneficiaries of the rule change brought about by forward thinking people on the county staff.
"The committee bent the rules and said that boys who learned their cricket in Yorkshire could play for the county," said the county's Crickete Development Manager Steve Oldham. Vaughan went on to captain the England under-19 and A teams, but could surely never envisaged walking out for his first Test innings with England on two for four. That was the situation at Johannesburg in November 1999, but Vaughan proved he had the required Test match temperament by defying South Africa for two hours to make 33. He played in four Tests against West Indies last summer, scoring 79 on home turf at Headingley, but had to wait for his chance during the winter, thanks to a calf injury and England's reluctance to dispense with Graeme Hick. Vaughan has now put that behind him and looks like being a part of England's team for many years to come. Born in Lancashire, bred in Yorkshire - a hybrid rose who could prove a thorn in Australia's side in the Ashes series. | |
See also:  02 Jun 01 | England v Pakistan 23 May 01 | Counties Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top England v Pakistan stories now: Links to more England v Pakistan stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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