Sloppy England warned by Vaughan

By Martin Gough

Two of England's key bowlers, Panesar and Anderson

Michael Vaughan has warned England to sharpen up their game if they are to reach a World Cup semi-final.

England bowled Bangladesh out for 143 on Wednesday, but then lost six wickets chasing the low total.

Vaughan said: "There were a lot of areas in the first half [of the game] where we could have improved."

"We will have to improve our display when we play South Africa on Tuesday because we know they're a good team and they will put us under pressure."

Vaughan continued: "Saj Mahmood was outstanding with the new ball but our lines and lengths were not what we expected."

On a bouncy Barbados wicket, Mahmood took 3-27 to claim the man-of-the-match award but Andrew Flintoff struggled, with his first four overs costing 28 runs.

The England skipper, who top-scored with 30, put the batting display down to an impressive showing from Bangladesh's bowlers, who beat South Africa last week.

I think I'm doing quite well at the moment and I just need to further it against West Indies and South Africa Sajid Mahmood

"We should have chased down the target but they played well and the three spinners are a very hard option - you can see why they have won games in this World Cup," Vaughan, who top-scored with a scratchy 30 said.

"It would have been nice to have won by eight wickets and produce a really convincing display, but Nixon and Collingwood used their experience and cool heads to get us over the line in the end.

"It was tighter than we'd have liked but we got the two points, we've got a few days off now and we have to make sure we go into that South Africa game hopefully playing a little bit better."

England's two remaining Super 8 games are both in Barbados.

They have five days off before facing South Africa in what is effectively an elimination game for semi-final qualification, and then take on West Indies on 21 April.

The victory over Bangladesh takes them to four points, with eight needed to stand a chance of a place in the last four.

After playing much of the tournament on slow strips, Mahmood was pleased to play on a pitch that suited him and is looking forward to the remaining games.

"It's a quick and quite bouncy wicket and hopefully in the next couple of games I can do well," he said.

"I think I'm doing quite well at the moment and I just need to further it against West Indies and South Africa."