LONDON (Reuters):

ENGLAND ALL-ROUNDER Andrew Flintoff said yesterday he had cleared the air with captain Michael Vaughan who was quoted in a newspaper interview as criticising his drunken antics.

The pair met for lunch on Wednesday to discuss the story in Tuesday's Guardian, which quoted Vaughan as saying Flintoff's behaviour in the West Indies when he had to be rescued from a capsized pedalo, had upset team spirit for the World Cup.

"As far as we're concerned it's finished. Myself and Michael have known each other for a long time and we've got a great friendship, and something like this - a bit of a storm in a tea cup - isn't going to affect that," Flintoff told Sky Sports.

"I'm looking forward to getting back on the field and playing under him as quickly as I can."

Flintoff, 29, underwent ankle surgery on Friday and is missing England's third Test against West Indies.

Vaughan said on Wednesday that the newspaper had misquoted him by reporting he had called the World Cup antics the 'Fredalo incident'. The Guardian said it had the quotes on tape and stood by its story.