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MANCHESTER - England cricket captain Michael Vaughan said a newspaper interview in which he was highly critical of all-rounder Andrew Flintoff had misquoted him.
In the interview in Tuesday's Guardian, Vaughan was quoted as saying that Flintoff's drunken antics in the West Indies when he had to be rescued from a capsized pedalo boat, had upset team spirit for the World Cup where England fared badly.
Vaughan's main issue with the story was that it had quoted him saying 'Fredalo' in reference to the tabloid headline the incident sparked.
"We stand by our story and have the quotes on tape," a spokesman for the Guardian sports desk said on today.
Vaughan told a news conference that the whole thing had been blown out of proportion.
"One word changed the whole context of the article -- a word which I didn't say," Vaughan said at Old Trafford, where England are due play West Indies in the third test on Friday (NZ time).
"I didn't use the word 'Fredalo'. It may have been used in the question but I didn't say it. As soon as you use that word you are pinpointing one person."
Vaughan, confident his relationship with Flintoff would not be harmed by the incident, said: "We're trying to prepare for a test match and all of a sudden this arises and it's very disappointing."
"The team saw it and just laughed," he added. "We've all been very honest about our performances and I have, but incredibly it didn't make that article."
A statement from the Guardian later said: "The Guardian categorically denies Michael Vaughan's suggestion today that he was misquoted in his interview with Donald McRae, published on Tuesday morning.
"Having examined transcripts it is clear his contention that he did not use the word "Fredalo" is incorrect. Equally, his claim that the piece did not include his reflections that his captaincy was not ideal is also untrue."
- REUTERS
