CRICKET/International:  For one match at least, the World Cup form guide has held. Zimbabwe, the side that reached the Super Sixes, beat England, the side that didn't. And this time, unlike in Harare, England even decided to turn up.

Since England's boycott of their World Cup tie in Zimbabwe, Harare has been presented as a World Cup match they would undoubtedly have won, a victory that could have propelled them to the semi-finals. That assumption does not square up after Zimbabwe's four-wicket victory.

Michael Vaughan, the captain, and Duncan Fletcher, the coach, believe England's main shortcoming this summer has been their batsmen's approach to the middle overs of the innings.

As with all young sides, England's fielding is held to possess new zest and athleticism. Believe the propaganda, and yesterday's fielding was just an off-day.

"We didn't lose this match because of our fielding, we lost it because of our middle-overs batting," said Vaughan. But in emphasising a glaring weakness, he is playing down another one.

England were a mediocre fielding side in the World Cup and, despite a necessary influx of youth, they are a mediocre fielding side still. Rikki Clarke and Vikram Solanki have improved the mix. So has the wicketkeeping of Chris Read and so did Jim Troughton until he was dropped. But you can't make a good brew by adding new yeast to dodgy ale.

Vaughan gained kudos for running out Heath Streak with a direct hit from short extra, just as he sparked a Pakistan collapse by running out Yousuf Youhana in the NatWest Challenge at Old Trafford.

But he remains an unnatural fielder who is still regathering confidence after shoulder and knee injuries.

England's Ashes Test series began and ended with the ball dribbling through Vaughan's legs, their World Cup defeat to Australia ended with a Vaughan fumble, and Pakistan's victory at Old Trafford was hastened in the same manner. Stuart Matsikenyeri was the beneficiary of another Vaughan lapse yesterday.

England's 191 for eight may have been 30 runs shy of a winning total, but at 18 for four, they had redressed that. Then came a stand of 96 between Grant Flower and Matsikenyeri that was kept alive by fielding errors.

Matsikenyeri might have been run out on nought, when he slipped while backing up, but Anthony McGrath's throw from midwicket missed the target. He was dropped by Marcus Trescothick at 31 at long on, and again by Andrew Flintoff, a tough catch to his right at slip. As a list of charges, it does not amount to much, but it was the general mood of England in the field that did not convince.

Perhaps Vaughan can be excused for letting the occasional one through his legs. He must have a lot on his mind He also acknowledged that errors were creeping into his batting.

"Zimbabwe's spinners bowled well, but we didn't play the spinners as well as we have in the last few years. We didn't manipulate the ball into the gaps," he conceded.

Guardian Service