Vaughan's team face the World Cup debutants in what is a must-win second stage Super Eights game for them, having brought no points with them from the group stage.

England have employed a steady approach in recent matches at the start of innings as openers Ed Joyce and Vaughan and number three Ian Bell are not batsmen to crash sixes and fours from the off.

With Ireland up next, conquerors of the 1992 champions Pakistan in the group stages, pundits have questioned whether England need to be more aggressive during the early overs when there are fielding restrictions.

"We are trying to play to our strengths, we don't have a natural (Sanath) Jayasuriya, (Matthew) Hayden or (Adam) Gilchrist," Vaughan said, after Australia's Hayden scored the fastest World Cup hundred on Saturday against South Africa.

"We feel we are a huge threat in the middle period. I feel we have a batting order that is very deep. In the bowling we have variable options. If anything we lack a bit of experience but have a lot of excitement."

BIGGER HITTERS

The "middle period" he referred to is where their bigger hitters Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff enter the stage. The downside is how long do they have to wait in the pavilion before having the chance to make an impact.

Irishman Joyce will face his countrymen after qualifying for England and his input will have aided preparations for the game against a team of mostly amateurs. Vaughan, though, said England would not take them lightly.

"We respect the Irish because they deserve to be in the Super Eights because they have played good cricket," Vaughan said.

"We've prepared in exactly the same fashion as we would have done for any other team."

Ireland captain Trent Johnston will return for the match after missing the West Indies group game with a shoulder problem.

England, expected to pick from a fully fit squad, may recall off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple because of the conditions in Guyana.

With rain forecast in Georgetown, there is a chance the match will be completed on Saturday's reserve day.

The seven-week World Cup culminates on April 28 in Barbados.