Vaughan – we’ll be ready

Michael Vaughan insists his team will be back in shape by the time they face New Zealand next Friday, after some extra fitness work left his side looking tired and jaded during their five-wicket defeat to Australia yesterday.

“We’ve tried to hit the guys with a lot of fitness and so that was maybe an after-effect – we’ll make sure we’re really fresh-legged going into the New Zealand game” Vaughan said, after his team had crumbled from 122-1 to 197 all out.

“We’re disappointed with the performance, we should have got 250 or 260,” the captain continued. “The key was myself and Ian Bell, one of us needed to make a big score.”

England’s hardest group game comes first, New Zealand being the top seeds in their group. Vaughan insists he has no remaining injury worries, and will be fighting fit for that game.

“I’m fine – it was good to get some time at the crease and 20 overs of fielding,” he said. England will need their captain in top form and fitness to start their campaign well.