Vaughan back with a vengeance

England captain Michael Vaughan closed in on a hundred to mark a stunning return to Test cricket today following an 18-month absence.

Vaughan took tea unbeaten on 92 in England's 222 for two against West Indies to deliver an emphatic response to suggestions he should no longer be an automatic pick for his country.

The 32-year-old admitted he felt the pressure coming into this Headingley contest, his first since walking off the field in Lahore in December 2005, but after a sticky start - he spent 27 deliveries on three - the Yorkshire batsman flourished, sharing a threatening third-wicket stand with Kevin Pietersen (53 not out).

Vaughan got to the wicket in the ninth over of the second match of the npower series, cheered on by his home crowd - he got off the mark from his fourth ball, when he clipped Daren Powell behind square on the leg side and squeezed a two behind point shortly afterwards.

It was Andrew Strauss' latest failure at Test level which gave West Indies an early go at Vaughan with the new ball, after a slash at a wide delivery from Powell provided wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin with a straightforward dismissal.

Alastair Cook, one of five English centurions in the drawn Test at Lord's last week, tucked the ball into gaps to good effect and had compiled 42 when he was adjudged leg before, prodding forward to off-spinner Chris Gayle, from the final delivery before lunch.

It was after the interval when Vaughan, chasing a 16th Test hundred in his 65th appearance, produced strokes reminiscent of his majestic best as pulls and cover drives flew to the ropes.

A misfield at mid-off from opposite number Ramnaresh Sarwan allowed him to 50 and he cruised towards three figures as bat thoroughly dominated ball in the second session.

Pietersen's own half-century included six fours, mainly handsome drives down the ground, including the one which got him to his landmark, though West Indies were left to rue some ill luck as Pietersen was stumped off a Gayle no-ball on 20 in a score of 142 for two.

On the selection front, Nottinghamshire seamer Ryan Sidebottom today left the one-cap wonder club after being named in England's XI while West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul was ruled out with tendinitis in his right knee so Sylvester Joseph was drafted into the middle order.