Vaughan steps into the pressure-cooker

England look to leading batsman to repeat last summer's feats and crush Indian bowlers

Pressure should be no stranger to Nasser Hussain's England team by now. This winter they have been under it since they left Heathrow airport bound for Australia on 16 October. And there has been no respite following their arrival in South Africa for the World Cup. However, it is how England handle the pressure today, in their crucial Group A match against India, which will go a long way in deciding how long these stresses last.

For England, victory under the lights in Durban will virtually guarantee qualification for the next stage, the Super Sixes. Defeat would leave them having to beat Australia in Port Elizabeth on Sunday, if they wish to avoid an early flight home.

The England captain admitted as much yesterday in the build-up to this contest. "Both sides have not been put under a great deal of pressure [on the field] yet in this tournament," Hussain said, "so there have not been many key or pressure moments for either side. It will be the team that handles these best that wins."

Spirits have run high between the sides with bare-chested, shirt-waving antics from Sourav Ganguly and Andrew Flintoff sealing memorable matches, but Hussain denied any sort of resentment. "There are no grudge games between us and India," he said, "it just seems that way because they have been very close. Two evenly matched sides have played some fantastic cricket against each other. The recent cricket played has been of the highest quality and I expect this one to be."

When mentioning quality, Michael Vaughan and Sachin Tendulkar, the leading batsmen on either side, come to mind. The good news for England is that Vaughan successfully came through his fitness test yesterday and is expected to play.

India's bowlers will not greet this news with such joy because last summer Vaughan pulverised them in England. In four Tests the Yorkshire opener scored 615 runs at an average of 102.5. The World Cup may be one-day cricket, and Vaughan is a relative novice at it, but there is bound to be some mental scarring among messrs Khan, Nehra, Kumble and Singh when they are faced once again with his broad bat. It is with him, Marcus Trescothick, Nick Knight and the ever improving Paul Collingwood that most of England's runs lie.

Having retired from Test cricket, Javagal Srinath, India's leading fast-bowler, was saved from this hammering and his return will help their cause. Nothing would give it more assistance, though, than a 100 from Tendulkar, their leading, if not most destructive batsman. The little master appears to be moving into form at the right time and the 152 he scored against Namibia on Sunday took his tally in this tournament to 321.

And it is the opening partnership of Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag which England have to break early. If the pair get going the unity in England's team will be tested to the limit because the stream of high-quality players coming in will be as relentless.

Although India have had comprehensive wins in their last three matches – against Netherlands, Zimbabwe and Namibia – they still look fragile and lacking in confidence. If the England bowlers get among their batting early on, India's recent happy memories will be quickly replaced by negative thoughts of New Zealand where they were recently trounced.

England's bowlers look in pretty good shape following their impressive performance against Pakistan in Cape Town. After two man-of-the-match awards, expectation is high for the 20-year-old James Anderson to deliver again but even though he looks the part such efforts should not be taken for granted because there is bound to be an element of inconsistency still about him.

When this is the case it is up to the likes of Andrew Caddick, Andrew Flintoff and Craig White, more experienced players, to make up for his shortcomings. The amount of grass still on the pitch would have pleased the seamers. Although the groundsman has threatened to scalp it there should still be some assistance for the quick men. As a result, England may contemplate leaving out Ashley Giles for Ronnie Irani but this is unlikely.

In Cape Town the toss was vital because of the ratio of games won by the side batting first in day-night matches. At Kingsmead, a ground where neither side has won a one-day game of cricket, the trend is different. Of the 10 completed floodlit games played here, six have been won by the side batting second.

This will not help Hussain with his decision-making because England are a better side when they bat first. By now, though, he is used to pressure.