Michael Vaughan is a man under pressure. The England captain has had six innings for Yorkshire since the tour to New Zealand, six innings to silence his detractors. He has managed only 113 runs at 18.33.

Vaughan’s dismissal yesterday was emblematic of his woes. There were flashes of light as he stroked six boundaries on his way to 34, only for the flame to burn out suddenly.

Making room to cut Graeme Swann, the off-spinner, Vaughan chopped on to his stumps before throwing back his head in familiar disbelief. It was his final first-class innings before the first Test at Lord’s and he has only one more opportunity prior to that fixture to get a score under his belt, Yorkshire playing host to Durham tomorrow in the Friends Provident Trophy.

Vaughan spent time on the players’ balcony in silent contemplation following his dismissal yesterday as Yorkshire held out for a tense draw. A clatter of wickets saw them slide from 140 for three to 168 for eight, a lead of only 45, before they were shepherded to safety by Tim Bresnan and Darren Gough. It left Nottinghamshire regretting that much of the opening day had been lost to rain.

The situation here was tailor-made for Vaughan, after Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 422 midway through the morning session, a first innings lead of 123.

Vaughan was under no pressure to score quickly and could simply play his natural game. The early signs were encouraging as he clipped England colleague Ryan Sidebottom to the mid-wicket boundary, a feat he repeated against Charlie Shreck. After opening partner Joe Sayers fell on the stroke of lunch to a catch at fourth slip, Vaughan caressed a delightful on-driven four off Shreck, flicked Sidebottom to the mid-wicket boundary and then cover-drove him to the North East stand. Then came the fatal misjudgement against Swann and another maddening case of what might have been.

Anthony McGrath struck a bright and breezy 43 before top-edging a hook to the wicketkeeper for the second time in the match. Jacques Rudolph played some sweet shots before edging Sidebottom to wicketkeeper Chris Read, while Adil Rashid was caught around the corner off Sidebottom as the middle order faltered.

Earlier, Read turned his overnight 115 into 142 before he was last out as Nottinghamshire sought quick runs, the victim of a catch off his own bowling by Tim Bresnan, who finished with four for 51.