Vaughan Sets Challenge

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Vaughan - challenge for England.

Michael Vaughan has challenged England's disgraced players to make amends for their late-night drinking episode by going on to enjoy a good World Cup campaign.

The England captain on Sunday night spoke for the first time since six England players were fined for attending a nightclub until the early hours - less than 48 hours before today's match against Canada - after Friday's loss to New Zealand.

Paul Nixon, James Anderson, Jon Lewis, Liam Plunkett and Ian Bell were all fined for breaching team discipline while Andrew Flintoff was fined, stripped of the vice-captaincy and dropped for today's 51-run victory after an incident involving a pedalo near the team hotel.

Flintoff has already issued an apology for his actions and Vaughan conceded the only way those players could really make it up was by having a successful tournament.

"Obviously as the England cricket captain I don't want to be sat in meetings on a day off talking about these matters," said Vaughan.

"We knew we'd lost a big game against New Zealand, we knew we were playing Canada on Sunday and we know how hard it is to play two games in three days in this heat on this kind of ground and we just didn't use common sense.

"All the players are bitterly disappointed with their actions and they want to say to all the England supporters how sorry they are.

"There's nothing that can really repay what they did, but hopefully a victory today and us winning next Saturday [against Kenya] and a decent run in the World Cup will be the only answer and the only way we can say sorry to the supporters."

Vaughan stressed: "The supporters have been let down. The England cricket captain has been let down in some ways, but I really feel sorry for the supporters.

"It's not just the guys that have paid a lot of money to come out here, it's also the people sat at home watching and they want to see the England cricket team focused in what is a massive tournament - unfortunately we weren't as focused as we could have been after the game against New Zealand on Friday night."

Vaughan revealed he had spoken to Flintoff, who did not even travel to the stadium for Sunday's match, but indicated he would be re-installed into England's line-up for next Saturday's final Group C match.

Asked about Flintoff, Vaughan admitted: "He's angry with himself for what he did.

"I want him playing cricket for England, I wanted him out there entertaining the crowd today but the instances which took place didn't allow him to be out there.

"I know in the next few days he's going to have a lot of media attention and it's up to us to make sure we get his focus back on cricket when we go and practice and make sure he plays well against Kenya next Saturday.

"Freddie could have played today and done very well, but that's Andrew Flintoff because he's an immense talent. Drinking two nights before any game is certainly going to have some kind of action in your body and your mind.

"I wish he was out there playing today. All the supporters in the crowd want to see the best players playing in the World Cup and unfortunate instances like this has taken one of the greats of the game out of today's match."

But despite the events of the last 48 hours, Vaughan rejected claims by former captain Nasser Hussain that there was a drinking culture around the England team.

He added: "I don't see a drinking culture within this England team. There was probably a bit of immaturity on Friday night and a bit of a lack of common sense with what they did but I don't see a drinking culture.

"I see a lot of young lads who work very hard and are very fit, it was just a mistake which they made. It was a big mistake and a bad mistake but I don't see any drinking culture in the England dressing room.

"We're going to have to draw a line under it. I'm sure over the next few days there will be a lot of media attention but it's up to us as a management team to make sure we recover our focus and really focus hard on that game against Kenya on Saturday.

"We want to get into the Super Eight and we want to stay in the World Cup for a few weeks yet. The matter has been dealt with and we have to make sure we unite as a team."