Cricket: Heat's on England in tough draw for trophy.

Byline: BY RICHARD GIBSON in Goa

ENGLAND have discovered just how difficult it is to win one-day matches in India during the past week - and it will get no easier when they return later in the year.

The draw for the ICC Champions Trophy in October, officially announced yesterday, puts them in the same group as world champions Australia, hosts India and possibly current holders West Indies.

Each of the two groups in the initial stage have been worked out based on the world rankings as of yesterday, with Australia number one in the one-day standings, India third and England sixth.

The other half of the competition includes second-placed South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand.

Two other countries will take part, one in each group, following a qualifying round-robin between West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

While success at Test level has been unprecedented over the past couple of years, England's one-day form has been patchy.

And assistant coach Matthew Maynard, who led the tourists' training session, with Duncan Fletcher escorting ill wife Marina back to their Cape Town home, believes the rankings tell their own story.

"They probably are a fair reflection to be honest," Maynard said, ahead of today's third one-day international against India in Goa.

"The Test side has been very settled but the one-day side not so, through injury or selection. It is something we are looking to put right in the next 12 months."

The hectic schedule during that period, however, does not lend itself to continuity.

Starting with this seven-match series, England could play 12 Tests and a staggering 45 one-dayers, depending on their success, climaxing with the World Cup final at the end of April 2007.

The International Cricket Council's revised Future Tours Programme now means countries must play series home and away against each of the other 10 full members in a six-year cycle.

Fears about burn-out of top players forced the extension from five years, and although the ICC believe the new rota provides a balanced programme, this coming year exceeds the player representatives' recommendations of 15 Tests and 30 limited-overs internationals in a calendar year.

England's plans to get back into a series they trail by 2-0 involved Fletcher conversing with Maynard and captain Andrew Flintoff between international flights. Fletcher is the sixth member of the touring party to leave the nine-week tour - Flintoff also departed temporarily - but Maynard insisted disruption was minimal.

"I have spoken to him and Freddie has spoken to him as well regarding selection, just to firm things up," said Maynard.

"Duncan and Freddie are still in charge of the team, it is just that Duncan isn't here.

"The fact he has been on a plane doesn't make any difference. He could easily have been in his room on a sick bed and I would have taken practice then."

Maynard's contract is up for renewal at the end of the domestic summer and he hopes to continue learning under 57-year-old Zimbabwean Fletcher.

"He has obviously got a wealth more experience than me on the coaching side but we have very similar mindsets," said Maynard.

"It has been a great experience so far, really good to work with someone like him. You couldn't have a better coach to coach really."

All-rounder Paul Collingwood, one of the few current tourists to have played here in 2001-02, said: "We obviously miss Fletcher but we have got plenty of coaches out here, senior players and Freddie, whose charisma and leadership has been excellent."

England's attempts to claw themselves back into the series will be in stifling, humid conditions over the next few days, with the match in Goa followed by another southern stop in Cochin.

But Collingwood suggested England are suited to being underdogs.

"We were 3-1 down last time and came back to 3-3," he said. "So we are not down in the dumps yet."

SATURDAY: Third Test Match: Johannesburg

South Africa 303 (AG Prince 93) v Australia 246-7 (MEK Hussey 73, MNtini5-80)

YESTERDAY: ThirdTest Match: Johannesburg

South Africa 303 (AG Prince 93)&250-8 (MVBoucher 55 no, HHGibbs 53, SR Clark 4-64) v Australia 270 (MEK Hussey 73, BLee 64, MNtini 6-100)

TODAY: (09.30 unless stated) Third Test Match (day 4of 5) Johannesburg: South Africa v Australia SecondTest Match(day 1of5)Kandy:Sri Lanka v Pakistan (05.30) Third One Day International (1day)Goa: India v England (04.30)

CAPTION(S):

A pensive Kevin Pietersen during a practice session in Goa yesterday Pictures: AMAN SHARMA/PA