Vaughan the latest worry for England

England's preparations for the Cricket World Cup seem to be shifting last night from the ridiculous to the shambolic. As if the continuing debate over their pool match in Zimbabwe were not enough, it looks increasingly doubtful that they will be able to take a full-strength team.

With four weeks to go it is probable that England will have to replace at least two of their 15-man squad, perhaps more.

Growing doubts about Andrew Flintoff and Craig White were joined by uncertainty over their leading batsman, Michael Vaughan, whose knee is still not fully mended after surgery in the autumn.

Flintoff, still sore after a double hernia operation, will not now join the side for the rest of the VB Series. White, who has a side strain, still cannot bowl and Adam Hollioake is on stand-by. The prognosis for Ashley Giles, who broke a wrist, is slightly more optimistic. England's captain Nasser Hussain said: "We'll be patient but we've struggled round Australia carrying injured people and I don't really want to struggle round the World Cup doing it. It's going to be a hell of a tournament and we need to get into it."