Cricket: Michael Vaughan Confident He'll Be Fit for England's Opening World Cup Match

Michael Vaughan claimed today that he is confident of being fit for the World Cup, but confirmed that Andrew Flintoff would replace him as captain should he fail to fully recover from injury before the tournament.

The England squad fly to the West Indies tomorrow and play against Bermuda on Monday and Australia four days later, before facing New Zealand in their tournament opener on March 16. Vaughan has played only three of England's last 35 one-day internationals after his comeback from knee surgery was curtailed when he tore a hamstring in the recent Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia.

But today he told a press conference at Gatwick airport: "The last two-and-a-half weeks I've been in constant rehabilitation. It's got better and better but until I've played a game and come off feeling fine I don't want to shout too soon. But it feels great, I've passed a lot of tests batting, bowling and fielding and I will play a part on Monday and against Australia on Friday, building up for the game against New Zealand on March 16."

Vaughan revealed that Flintoff would assume the captaincy in the event of him not being fit to face the Kiwis, but added: "Hopefully it won't come to that. I deserve a little bit of luck and hopefully this is the stage where I can get in the side."

Each side will be allowed to use 13 players in the warm-up games and Vaughan will ease himself back into action gently - but he has high hopes of playing a big role in the tournament. "The knee is fine and that's a real positive from the spell I had in Australia - that there was no reaction to training and games. It's been a really good sign for me," he said. "I should be fine to play against Bermuda - not a full part - and gradually build up to more of a part against Australia."

In contrast to the Australians, England's squad has very few fitness worries, with key batsman Kevin Pietersen fully recovered from the cracked rib he sustained on the winter tour. And Vaughan revealed he already has his first-choice line-up pencilled in, although it is subject to change.

"It is great to have Kevin back, he adds a great deal to our batting," said Vaughan. "He is our best one-day player and I'm looking forward to seeing him bat in the Caribbean on what I believe are small grounds and he should make the most of that. I have a plan in my head as to what the order will look like and, if everyone is fit, what the bowling unit will look like. We have got a couple of options on the batting and bowling and it is a matter of choosing the right one for that specific game."

Vaughan, who rated England as "dark horses" to win the tournament, said he was travelling to the West Indies with personal goals to achieve. "I have things to prove. I have been out for a year with injuries and my one-day record is not as good as my Test record and I don't think there is a better place to put that right than at at a World Cup," he explained.