Vaughan prepares for pressure game

Michael Vaughan knows how important the match against South Africa has become. 'It's a great opportunity to raise our levels.' © Getty Images

Even two months ago, the idea that South Africa, one-day cricket's upwardly mobile force, might have to face off with England for a semi-final spot would have been considered preposterous, but after indifferent campaigns for both, Tuesday's encounter at the Kensington Oval does have a winner-takes-all feel to it.

On paper, it should be a no contest, with South Africa having won 33 of their last 50 one-day games, despite an indifferent start to this competition. The corresponding figure for England is a measly 19, and prior to the four-match winning streak that won them the CB Series in Australia, they had eked out six wins in 25 games.

Michael Vaughan wasn't part of that improbable triumph in Australia and, since his return, England have lapsed back into their old ways, losing to New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka, and just about inching past a meagre Bangladesh total of 143.

Vaughan's form has mirrored that of the team, with 113 runs from seven games, and apart from Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Paul Nixon, no batsman has shown a semblance of consistency. Vaughan though wasn't about to dwell on the negatives. "It's a great opportunity to raise our levels," he said. "It's a game that could take us to the semi-finals, which will be a great feat for an England side.

"We're a side that can turn up and produce on the day. We did it in the CB Series when we were down and out and it's because we have players who enjoy big games, pressure situations and big crowds. They have been similar to us in many ways. They've played well at times and not so well other times. It's the biggest match of the World Cup."

One of the clutch players he was talking about was Andrew Flintoff, struggling with a chest infection since Antigua. Vaughan though dismissed suggestions that Flintoff, in the World Cup news for all the wrong pedalo reasons, might be running on empty. "I don't think so. I still think he's got a performance in him."

England's pace bowlers enjoyed the extra bounce at the Kensington Oval when they played Bangladesh, and an unchanged side is likely to step onto the park on Tuesday. Having said that, the pitch subsequently used for Bangladesh's game against Ireland was rather different in nature. Whichever captain wins the toss faces a tricky decision, though South Africa, who lack a quality spinner, will almost certainly wish to bowl first.

"It's a tricky one," said Vaughan, who had little hesitation in unleashing his fast bowlers against Bangladesh. "I would like to win it. In one-day cricket, if you can win the toss and the team's happy doing what they have talked about, you always think you're one up."

Kevin Pietersen renews his battles with South Africa, two years after first facing them © Getty Images

Given the packed schedules that you see in international cricket, it's quite surprising that these two sides haven't met for over two years now. Then, South Africa clinched a seven-match series 4-1 on home soil - one game was tied - with Justin Kemp's swashbuckling hitting providing a lot of the impetus despite three centuries from Pietersen in his debut series.

With Pietersen having left behind his KwaZulu-Natal roots to go and qualify for England, there was plenty of needle in that series. Vaughan, however, wasn't about to heighten the tension surrounding the game with any incendiary comments of his own. "Cricket's a tough sport and when you have 11 guys out there, it can get a little fiery," he said. "But it's nothing that gets too personal, just a bit of banter."

England won five of their first six games against South Africa, including both encounters at the 1992 World Cup, but South Africa have emerged victorious in the two World Cup games since. That said, it's hard to think of South Africa in relation to this competition without thinking of the C word - Chokers - but Vaughan didn't go down the Australian route and attempt to pray on those insecurities.

"I don't think you can say we have handled it better than South Africa but yes, we have handled it well," he said, when asked about pressure situations. "We've been in such situations before and we know we can come out of them."

His opposite number, Graeme Smith, has been amongst the runs, but also in the news for all the wrong reasons. His abrasive demeanour has rubbed several opponents the wrong way, but Vaughan played down any suggestions of bad blood. "I have no issue with him," he said. "He's an excellent captain, the leader of his team. I have a lot of respect for him."

Despite their underwhelming performances on the pitch and the drink-related problems off it, England know that they're just two good games away from a place in the last four, something that they haven't managed since Ian Botham and his mullet were still around.

"We're realistic of what we can achieve," said Vaughan. "If you had told me before the World Cup that we would have one game [actually two] to get to the semifinal, I would have taken it."