Vaughan, who has been linked with Warwickshire, Lancashire and Hampshire, said he was "fed up" with a rumour mill that has started to turn with increasing regularity since his decision to resign as England captain.

Vaughan, who is currently sweating on the award of another central contract, did nothing to enhance his international claims when he fell for 19 on the second day of the County Championship match against Sussex.

With only a maximum five innings left to convince the selectors he is worth a place on the winter tour to India, and with uncertainty clouding his Yorkshire future, Vaughan is in the midst of an unsettling period as he attempts to resurrect his England career.

"I'm not sure where all the speculation is coming from," said Vaughan, who denied he was looking to leave Headingley Carnegie after 15 years as a Yorkshire cricketer.

"I'm getting fed up with it all and I'm just looking to find some form with Yorkshire."

Vaughan's state of mind would not have been improved by yesterday's failure, nor by a remark from an elderly spectator as he walked out to bat just after lunch.

"I hear that you might be going to Warwickshire," the woman complained in a disapproving voice. "If you are, I'm not very happy about it."

Vaughan's situation brings into sharp focus an important consideration, for should he and Matthew Hoggard fail to earn another central contract when the announcement is expected next week, Yorkshire would suddenly have to foot the bill for two large salaries.

The retirement at the end of this season of club captain Darren Gough will help ease the budget, but Yorkshire are not exactly flush with cash as they plan for 2009 and beyond.

Vaughan's immediate concern, however, is trying to halt a dispiriting slump that has rendered him a shadow of the player who once occupied pole position in the world batting rankings.

Since scoring 124 against India at Trent Bridge in July last year, one of his finest performances in an England shirt, Vaughan has managed only 912 runs in 39 first-class innings at 23.38.

Yesterday's display was a microcosm of his season. Vaughan opened his account with a sumptuous off-driven four off Mohammad Sami that positively purred with class on its way to the Peasholm Park boundary.

Then, without further addition to his score, he drove loosely at Sami and was dropped at third slip, high to his left, by Michael Yardy.

Sami went past the outside edge of Vaughan's bat on several occasions before the batsman responded with a delightful square drive that fizzed to the backward-point rope.

Vaughan's third and final four in a 29-ball innings was a steer to third man off Jason Lewry, who got him out with a delivery that clipped the outside edge on its way to wicketkeeper Andy Hodd.

Just about the only crumb of comfort for Vaughan came with the news that England are to delay announcing their Test squad until the end of the season, giving him and several others a chance to further their claims during the Championship run-in.

Vaughan will know better than most he must significantly improve on his efforts since returning to county action; last week he was dismissed for 10 and 0 against Kent at Scarborough.

Although Vaughan once again dominated the headlines, this was an interesting day's play, albeit in a match which appears to be heading for a watery draw if weather forecasts are to be believed.

After Sussex resumed on 203-4 in their first innings following a rain-affected first day, Yorkshire hit back in rousing fashion to claim the last six wickets for 38 runs in 13 overs, Adil Rashid doing the bulk of the damage on his way to 4-56 from 19 overs.

Andy Hodd lifted his overnight 66 to 81 before he fell lbw to the leg-spinner, who had Robin Martin-Jenkins superbly caught at slip by Jacques Rudolph from the very next ball. There were also two wickets for Rana Naved-ul-Hasan against his former club.

Yorkshire lost regular wickets in reply, Jacques Rudolph top-scoring with 41 as they closed on 133-7, a deficit of 132, as Sussex wrested back the initiative in the final session.


DISPLAY OF THE DAY

Adil Rashid

Figures of 4-56 took him to 50 first-class wickets for the season, 47 of them achieved in the Championship at 31.57.

For news of Friday's play click here.