Pietersen confident of England one-day glory

England has a good enough one-day side to win the World Cup in 2011, according to experienced batsman Kevin Pietersen.

The 30-year-old has seen England improve dramatically in the shorter form of the game in the last 12 months.

They were thumped 6-1 at home by Australia last summer, but since then they have made it to the Champions Trophy semi-finals, won the ICC World Twenty20 tournament and beaten both Australia and Bangladesh this summer.

England will head to the ICC World Cup in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka full of confidence, especially as they have exciting and powerful batsman such as Eoin Morgan and Craig Kieswetter who can both make match winning knocks.

Pietersen has admitted England could be at a disadvantage as they must beat "subcontinent teams on the subcontinent", which is going to be a massive challenge but the players are positive and that has led to the recent impressive results.

The international cricket odds suggest the side could struggle in unfamiliar conditions, and Pietersen is aware of this.

He said: "That's going to be our biggest worry, along with playing spin there, but with the mindset the guys have from winning a trophy away from England, we can take that across to India and I do think that we have a very good chance of winning it."

England have been drawn in Group B for the World Cup 2011 which means they face India, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and the Netherlands.

However, before the competition gets underway there is the small matter of a tour of Australia. The Ashes cricket odds make England underdogs, but they will be looking to improve in the longer form of the game ahead of the clash.

England 'still not Ashes favourites'

England's recent dominance over Australia in the short forms of cricket does not make them favourites to successfully defend the Ashes this winter, according to one legend.

England beat Australia in the final of the World Twenty20 tournament and now they lead their old enemy 3-1 in their five-game one-day series. But Andrew Flintoff, who was part of two Ashes-winning sides, doesn't think the side should get carried away.

England are on the hunt for a comprehensive win over Ricky Ponting's side and this has led to real belief they could hold an advantage mentally over Australia by the time the Ashes series gets underway later in the year.

Flintoff told Press Association that England fans should keep their feet on the ground despite recent success as Australia's one day and Test sides are "very different". Indeed, the Ashes cricket odds still make Australia favourites.

Both sides face Test series' against Pakistan before they clash this winter, and the 32-year-old reckons the performances in these games will be more of an indicator for who goes into the series as favourites.

"With the two different forms of the game, we can take a bit of confidence from it, but I don't think it plays a major part," Flintoff said.

"The one thing over the next few months will be to see how Australia and England play against Pakistan - the two series are both in England, so let's see how the Test sides have progressed."

One England man brimming with confidence currently due to his success against Australia is spinner Graeme Swann.

He took four wickets in England's latest win at Old Trafford and he has claimed that Andrew Strauss's men could now be regarded as the "golden generation" of English cricket.

Meanwhile, Brazil and Spain continue to contest favouritism in the World Cup 2010 betting ahead of the first quarter final clashes.

The two sides are still on course to meet in the final after winning their groups.