England still on World Cup path, says Vaughan by AFP

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Player:	MP Vaughan
Event:	England in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 17th December 2005

 

England skipper Michael Vaughan believes his team are still on course to win the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean despite recent shattering defeats in Pakistan.

 

"It's a difficult tour of Pakistan. Will the conditions in the West Indies be similar to that? I doubt that," said Vaughan who oversaw a Test series defeat to the Pakistanis before returning home to undergo knee surgery.

 

England have also slipped 2-1 down in the five-match one-day international series with Thursday's 165-run defeat in Karachi equalling their worst ever loss.

 

"We do need to improve in the one-day game if we're going to win the World Cup," Vaughan told the BBC.

 

"But there are some exciting players in and around the squad which should give us an opportunity to do well.

 

"It's an area we need to look at because we haven't won an overseas tournament for a long time.

 

"But the last major tournament was the ICC Champions Trophy and we got to the final.

 

"Over the last two years there's been some good strides made in the one-day team, we played some good one-day cricket against Australia in the summer."

 

England won two of seven limited-overs games against their Ashes rivals, fought out a thrilling tie in the NatWest Series final at Lord's and saw one match washed out.

 

They have not beaten a major opponent in a series away from home since overturning India, Pakistan and West Indies in Sharjah in 1997/98.

 

Vaughan, who was also at home to see the birth of his son Archie last week, said he is on course to be fit for England's tour of India in February.

 

"I went and saw the England physio a week after the operation," he added.

 

"I'll start full rehab on Monday and the plan is to start hitting cricket balls in the middle of January.

 

"So far it's all gone well but the real test is when I start twisting and turning."

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)