Vaughan confident of fitness for World Cup

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, Mar 14 (Reuters) England captain Michael Vaughan said today he hoped to play a full part in England's opening World Cup Group C match with New Zealand on Friday.

The 32-year-old has been working his way back to full fitness after knee and hamstring injuries but only fielded for part of the warm-up games with Bermuda and Australia last week.

''Hopefully I'll prove on Friday that I can get through a game,'' Vaughan told reporters.

''I've trained every single day and I've had nothing go wrong with the hamstring and nothing go wrong with the knee and I'm just looking forward to playing cricket now.

''There is absolutely nothing to suggest I won't play a full part in this World Cup.'' England are expected to go in with the same batting lineup from the warm-ups but have yet to decide which two of James Anderson, Sajid Mahmood, Liam Plunkett and Jon Lewis will take the seam bowling slots.

The situation was complicated on Wednesday when Anderson was taken to hospital from practice with a suspected broken little finger.

REUTERS DH PM2210