Michael Vaughan shed his England sweater yesterday, put on a Yorkshire one and marched out to play a dazzling innings at Old Trafford which helped defeat Lancashire by three wickets and take his side through to the semi-finals of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.

Now they meet holders Gloucester-shire at Bristol on July 17, and if they come through that they will have made it to Lord's without having had a home tie in the competition this season.

The England captain thrashed an unbeaten 116 off 119 balls with 11 fours and four magnificent sixes to save what had appeared to be a lost cause.

Yorkshire were staring down the barrel at 86 for four as they chased a mammoth target of 287, but Darren Lehmann then joined Vaughan in a sensational stand of 149 in 24 overs to turn this dramatic Roses clash on its head.

For once Lehmann was prepared to play the lesser role while Vaughan launched into some stunning strokes without ever throwing caution to the wind, and it was just beginning to seem as if the fifth-wicket pair would see Yorkshire home when Lehmann made room to cut at Sajid Mahmood to be brilliantly caught behind by Warren Hegg for 62 from 74 deliveries with four boundaries.

Yorkshire were now 234 for five with eight overs remaining and by no means out of the woods, but Vaughan responded by driving Mahmood over long off, Stuart Law holding the ball one-handed as he took it over the rope.

Vaughan then hit James Anderson for six over midwicket to take him to 99 and then stole a single to go to the second one-day century of his career.

There was still plenty of drama to unfold because after Vaughan had thumped Mahmood over long on for his fourth six, Richard Dawson was bowled by Anderson to make it 269 for seven.

Yorkshire, now well up with the required rate, could afford to take things more sedately and the winning run came from a leg bye to Bresnan with 14 balls still remaining.

Winning the toss on a good pitch, Lancashire were held in check early on but then broke free through half-centuries from Mal Loye, Carl Hooper and Dominic Cork to post a formidable score.

Things seemed to have got out of hand for Yorkshire towards the close of the innings as Cork smashed 54 runs from 20 balls with seven fours and three sixes, two of the big hits coming in the final over from Bresnan.

Vaughan said: "We lost a few wickets but then 'Buff' came out and he was able to put us back into the game. It was a special moment to be able to come back and play for Yorkshire and help take them through to the semi-finals."

Vaughan's next innings will be at Old Trafford a week today when England take on New Zealand in the NatWest Series. Asked whether his innings was a good omen, he replied: "It's all about Yorkshire today, that's the main thing."

Yorkshire have now won their last six matches, all away from home, and tomorrow they take on Leicestershire at Headingley in the championship.