Around 15,000 ecstatic fans turned up at Headingley last night to pay homage to Michael Vaughan and his England team of superstars.

But so did Thor, the God of Thunder, and his gift was a spectacular half-hour storm which waterlogged the ground shortly before Vaughan's Asda Challenge Twenty20 match between his World XI and a Yorkshire XI was due to start.

The crowd emerged from their various sheltering holes once the deluge eased but conditions were too dangerous for a game to take place.

Vaughan and both of the teams were

genuinely upset that so many spectators were bedraggled and disappointed but

the players offered to sign autographs and the invitation was taken up by hundreds

of eager fans under the eye of scores of stewards and police.

The Vaughan XI and its squad of rolling substitutes included Andrew Flintoff, Marcus Trescothick, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss, Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Ian Bell, Darren Gough, Andy Flower, Matthew Maynard, Richie Richardson, Greg Blewett, Gladstone Small, Devon Malcolm and Robin Smith.

Proceeds from the game were expected to be in the region of six figures but Ian Bishop, Yorkshire's director of marketing, said full refunds would be given if requested, less a 50 pence handling charge.

With the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, the Yorkshire Academy and Vaughan all benefiting from the proceeds, relatively few

people were expected to ask for their money back.

Before the thunderstorm began, Vaughan found time to give a Press conference at which he said he was overwhelmed that his benefit match should be a sell-out.

Cricket over the past few months had become very popular and this was an occasion at which people could see the England stars.

Back-to-back Tests were very difficult and his team were glad of a short break, with Vaughan saying: "We will not be

totally switched on today and the lads will all be relaxing a bit."

Vaughan said he thought last Sunday's play at Trent Bridge, when England won by three wickets, had been the most nerve-racking day of the Ashes series so far.

"At Edgbaston and Old Trafford we were on the pitch but we couldn't control it on Sunday when we were batting, although I always thought we would get to the line eventually," he said.

"I think our approach to the final Test at The Oval will be very similar to what it has been in the three Tests since our defeat at Lord's. We will try to play in the same

fashion, which means winning most of the sessions.

"We realise we are in a good position at

2-1 up in the series but we also know how much hard work goes into winning and the first day is crucial against Australia.

"We have to do all the hard work again, otherwise it will have been for nothing."

Earlier in the afternoon the weather at Headingley had been hot and sunny for a 'warm-up' Twenty20 Challenge between under-14s teams West Yorkshire East and Lancashire, who were coached by Vaughan and Flintoff respectively.

Flintoff took the field for a short while when Yorkshire batted and standing at slip he caught opener Luke Patel, who plays for Wakefield Schools.

It went in the scorebook as: L Patel c Flintoff (sub), an entry which already makes it a valuable collector's item.