This time it is serious - that is the message from Essex skipper Nasser Hussain as he and his England team-mates prepare for Saturday's all-important World Cup cricket clash with South Africa at The Oval.

Nasser knows that victory over Sri Lanka and Kenya will count for nothing once the action in England's third Group A match of the tournament starts in front of a sell-out crowd.

Said Hussain: "South Africa are the pre-tournament favourites - and quite rightly so. They have tremendous quality running right through the side in every department - batting, bowling and fielding.

"Having said that, we're certainly not going along to The Oval just for the ride. The whole of the England camp is in good spirits after our two wins and we certainly believe that we can beat them."

Hussain has plenty of reason to be happy with his home form after scoring an unbeaten 88 in Tuesday's win over Kenya, a performance that ensured him a place in tomorrow's starting line-up.

Hussain admitted he was surprised to be offered the position of England opener."I just presumed I would be there as a stand-by for Stewie or Knighty if something didn't work out, but I've enjoyed going in as early as possible," he explained.

"It's handy I get in as early as possible in one-day cricket because of the strength of our team with people like Thorpe, Flintoff and Fairbrother in the middle order - that's where they should be batting because there's no point me going down there when you have strikers like that around."

"I wouldn't mind opening for Essex at some stage," he admitted. "We've got Stuart Law and Paul Prichard doing it at the moment."

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