Posted:
England ready to thrash out SA out of WC7
AFP
England coach Duncan Fletcher believes his team can upstage South Africa on Tuesday to remain on course for an ICC CWC semi-final place.
"Playing South Africa is a big challenge," said Fletcher as his team's practice was cut short by rain on Saturday.
England's only chance to snatch a place in the last four rests not only on winning both their games - against South Africa and the hosts West Indies on April 21. They were also hoping New Zealand could beat Graeme Smith's men in Grenada on Saturday.
England, who haven't reached the semi-finals since 1992, have four points from their five Super Eight matches.
Defending champions Australia (ten points from five matches) have already stormed into the semi-final, while Sri Lanka (eight from five) and New Zealand (eight from five) have virtually made sure of their places.
South Africa, who had six points from five matches before their New Zealand encounter, can be eliminated from the race if they lose both their matches -- against England and the West Indies. The last place may also go down to run-rates.
Fletcher stressed the necessity of winning against South Africa.
"We have to win that game. They were the number one team in the world, they are a strong unit and we're looking forward to the challenge," said the coach whose team have lost matches to New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Australia in the second round.
They have only managed to beat Ireland and Bangladesh in the Super Eight.
"We know we've got a young side and if we can beat sides of the calibre of Australia and New Zealand then we can beat any side," said Fletcher, referring to England's triumph in the tri-series in Australia earlier this year.
"I don't think we've played consistently well. We've put in some good performances but we've played in fits and starts, but if everyone plays as well as they can they can become a very effective unit.
"Sometimes a team can just click and that happened to some degree in Australia. There is a lot of batting depth there if they all play well and that will help the bowlers if that happens."
England's main worry remains over the batting form of Michael Vaughan and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.
The struggling England captain has managed just 113 runs in seven matches, while Flintoff has 72 runs in five outings.
Their batsmen nearly botched up a 144-run chase against Bangladesh here this week and it was left to an enterprising unbroken seventh wicket stand of 37 between Paul Collingwood and Paul Nixon which lifted them from a precarious 110-6 to the win.
AFP
England coach Duncan Fletcher believes his team can upstage South Africa on Tuesday to remain on course for an ICC CWC semi-final place.
"Playing South Africa is a big challenge," said Fletcher as his team's practice was cut short by rain on Saturday.
England's only chance to snatch a place in the last four rests not only on winning both their games - against South Africa and the hosts West Indies on April 21. They were also hoping New Zealand could beat Graeme Smith's men in Grenada on Saturday.
England, who haven't reached the semi-finals since 1992, have four points from their five Super Eight matches.
Defending champions Australia (ten points from five matches) have already stormed into the semi-final, while Sri Lanka (eight from five) and New Zealand (eight from five) have virtually made sure of their places.
South Africa, who had six points from five matches before their New Zealand encounter, can be eliminated from the race if they lose both their matches -- against England and the West Indies. The last place may also go down to run-rates.
Fletcher stressed the necessity of winning against South Africa.
"We have to win that game. They were the number one team in the world, they are a strong unit and we're looking forward to the challenge," said the coach whose team have lost matches to New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Australia in the second round.
They have only managed to beat Ireland and Bangladesh in the Super Eight.
"We know we've got a young side and if we can beat sides of the calibre of Australia and New Zealand then we can beat any side," said Fletcher, referring to England's triumph in the tri-series in Australia earlier this year.
"I don't think we've played consistently well. We've put in some good performances but we've played in fits and starts, but if everyone plays as well as they can they can become a very effective unit.
"Sometimes a team can just click and that happened to some degree in Australia. There is a lot of batting depth there if they all play well and that will help the bowlers if that happens."
England's main worry remains over the batting form of Michael Vaughan and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.
The struggling England captain has managed just 113 runs in seven matches, while Flintoff has 72 runs in five outings.
Their batsmen nearly botched up a 144-run chase against Bangladesh here this week and it was left to an enterprising unbroken seventh wicket stand of 37 between Paul Collingwood and Paul Nixon which lifted them from a precarious 110-6 to the win.
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