Collingwood targets World Cup

Paul Collingwood believes confidence is key to England's one-day hopes © Getty Images

Paul Collingwood believes England winning the World Cup would create the kind of fervour to equal last summer’s Ashes success.

With the event in the Caribbean just five months away, England need to continue the kind of form in which they closed the summer rather than return to the poor stretch of results which preceded it.

Consecutive wins against Pakistan - and, indeed, the general manner in which the hosts played throughout the 2-2 NatWest Series draw - has left the 14-man squad keen to make an impact at this month’s ICC Champions Trophy.

It is a tournament overshadowed by the imminent Ashes defence down under but it will be crucial in the development of one-day tactics ahead of the other huge prize on the horizon.

“The World Cup is a dream for us and we want to go there believing we can win it,” said all-rounder Collingwood.

“I am not suggesting people jump on the bandwagon but if we won the World Cup I think it would be as big as what the Ashes was. If we do go all the way it will be massive.

“We have an opportunity as cricketers over the next six months to face the ultimate challenge of winning three major prizes.”

Having Andrew Flintoff back is a boost to England's chances

Few will give England much hope in the shortened format on the back of just four wins in 21 completed matches, including a 5-0 whitewash by Sri Lanka, prior to their victories over Pakistan at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston.

However, Collingwood suggests those two results, paired with the return of captain Andrew Flintoff to the ranks, will prove a major significance.

“One-day cricket is a confidence game,” he said. “When you are in a bad run it is hard to go out there with no fear of failure, it tends to drag you down a bit.

“But those wins have helped us turn a little bit of a corner.

“At 2-0 down we showed a lot of character more than anything else to try to get it back.

“We got the bit between our teeth and it also showed that if we play to the best of our ability we can beat anybody.

“That has made us feel better about ourselves because we had been through a tough time in the one-dayers and lost a bit of our confidence during the Sri Lanka series when we were battered about a bit.

Kevin Pietersen is a major part of England's one-day plans

“We needed to put it right. It has certainly given us a spark and perhaps more than that because I feel we go into these matches with belief.

“People always question whether we are good enough to win the World Cup but if you ask any side who we come up against they will tell you we have the players - Kevin Pietersen, Marcus Trescothick, Flintoff - who are match-winners.

“We have got a side that, if it clicks, can do some damage and we know that.

"It is making the most of the opportunity to put into place. We are here believing we will do well.”

Officially, England are eighth in the world rankings and would need to upset the odds to get beyond the group stage.

Doing so would also cancel any chance of a return home prior to flying to Australia for a three-month tour; England’s players will certainly earn their money this winter, in fact, with just a fortnight’s rest between the trip and the World Cup.

For those with families - Collingwood’s daughter Shannon is just three weeks old - it will prove particularly testing.

Pace bowler Steve Harmison missed training due to illness

But he said: “If we do well in this tournament it can do us a lot of good going to Australia. It will give us momentum and momentum is a massive thing.

“It has been a different kind of feeling leaving this time, obviously not having too long at home - I admit that - but we realise this is part and parcel of our job.

“It is a job we will not be doing all our lives so there is no point in whingeing about it.

“A lot of people want to be in our shoes. There is nothing better than playing cricket for England, travelling the world.”

England’s first flexing of the muscles since arriving on the subcontinent on Saturday took place on Sunday morning with a fitness session.

Fast bowlers Steve Harmison and James Anderson did not take part, however, after reporting ill overnight.