England have a lot of hard work in front of them if they are to mount a serious challenge at the 2003 World Cup, according to batsman Graham Thorpe.

The team is preparing for a best-of-five series in Zimbabwe after losing 11 successive matches since defeating Pakistan in Karachi a year ago.

Several experienced heads including Darren Gough, Alec Stewart and Craig White have not made the trip and Thorpe believes it is up to their replacements to rise to the occasion.

"In the last year we've found one-day cricket very tough and we've got to work hard to catch up with the big boys like Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and India.

"They're all very good one-day sides and if we're to mount a realistic challenge in the World Cup, we're going to have to get our preparation right and really work hard towards that because otherwise we'll struggle to feature," he said.

England have never won the World Cup despite reaching the final on three occasions.

But they came out on top the last time they faced Zimbabwe - in the final of the 2000 NatWest Series at Lord's.

Thorpe, meanwhile, is not setting himself any personal targets for the tour after missing most of the English season because of calf and finger injuries.

"Once I get back into the nets and into the cricket, I'll be fine. The hardest thing is getting my confidence back in my body again.

"I've been working hard to get overa hand injury over the last eight weeks and it's just a question of getting used to a cricket ball whacking into it again when you're fielding," he said.

"This is a very good trip for me - a good opportunity to get myself back into cricket and shake out the cobwebs that have been there for quite some time now."

England play their opening match against Zimbabwe's A team on Monday in Harare.