Rain-rules frustrate Vaughan

Michael Vaughan has requested cricket's powers-that-be to take a closer look at the rain-rules that forced the umpires into calling off England's NatWest Traingular Series match against Zimbabwe at Headingley.

In a match reduced to 25 overs a side, England reached 81 for 4 from 16.3 overs before further rain forced the match to be abandoned. The current ICC regulations state that once a match starts at the latest possible time - 3.50 pm in this instance - no further delays are possible. Under the circumstances, David Shepherd and Simon Taufel had no option but to call the game off.

"That's the most disappointing part of the day, and you can't blame anyone because they are the rules that are put in place," said Vaughan, who turned down an offer to go off for bad light in the 16th over. "The umpires were in a position to take us off and they offered us the light, but we wanted to stay out there. We were in a good position and people were in the ground, and you've got to try and entertain them. But as soon as it started to rain, the umpires had no other option but to bring us off.

"It's not for me to have a look at, but maybe someone should," he added. "At this time of year, it usually stays light until about nine at night - maybe not today because it's overcast - but there should be something put in that games can be finished even if one or two overs are lost through rain and bad light."