Nasser needs to be bowled over

A lot easier said than done but England must find a few answers or else more defeats along the lines of yesterday's eight-wicket hammering - sealed with a whopping 10 and a half overs to spare - will surely follow.

A Blackwell-inspired total of 269 for seven appeared defendable under floodlights. Instead of struggling against the swing, however, India soared towards a semi-final meeting with South Africa as Sehwag and Ganguly put together a stand of 192 at better than a run a ball.

Sehwag's 126 was a ferocious destruction of the opposition. If anything, though, captain Ganguly took even greater delight in savaging England and he was there at the end, unbeaten on 117, as India confirmed their superiority on neutral territory after umpteen meetings throughout the past 11 months.

Hussain's injury-hit squad came to Sri Lanka as second favourites in group B and they will head home tomorrow having lived up to that modest billing. Zimbabwe were well beaten but India proved far too good.

The hope now is that the casualties who could not travel will be fit enough for Australia and then positively brimming with good health and confidence by the time the World Cup begins.

Darren Gough (knee), Andrew Flintoff (hernia) and Craig White (side) should strengthen England's bowling resources; Michael Vaughan (knee) is the sort of recruit any batting department wants on board and Paul Collingwood (neck) has become a one-day regular over the past year.

But there is no guarantee that the fast to fast-medium bowling of Gough, Flintoff and White would have made a rupee of difference yesterday, or will give Hussain any more hope when India are tackled next - in a World Cup contest in Durban on 26 February.

"We are all right playing against sides that don't come at us with the bat," said Hussain. "But when a side attacks us like India did here then we are going to have to show a bit more character." In Test cricket, England's captain has cried out - so far in vain - for the emergence of a "mystery spinner" who can bamboozle the best batsmen on any surface.

As for one-day cricket, he would happily settle for someone with the ability and confidence to confuse the opposition by subtle changes of pace.

"In a lot of county one-day games in England the ball seams and swings around," said Hussain. "On these sort of pitches you need to have something up your sleeve, whether it's a magical slower ball or a bouncer.

"It's about character, having variations of pace and thinking on your feet. Our bowlers tried different things against India but everything seemed to go for four." The time is too short for major experimentation but England could look at a couple more bowlers.

Although not likely to be part of the one-day squad announced this week, Simon Jones and Steve Harmison will be in Australia as members of the Ashes party. Jones, especially, has the pace and control to suggest he could force himself into one-day contention.

Meanwhile, Fletcher is expected to sign an extension to his existing contract, which has a year to run, before England set off for Australia.

New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 167 runs in the final league match of the Champions Trophy today. Both sides are already out of the tournament.