By Martin Gough

Flintoff leads a side that has lost 14 of their last 20 matches

England were beaten finalists in the last ICC Champions Trophy but they go into the 2006 version in India ranked eighth in the world in one-day cricket.

While the Test side goes from strength to strength, the limited-overs team remains mediocre at best.

Their two season-ending victories over an exhausted Pakistan came after a run of 17 losses from their previous 20 completed matches against major opposition.

Only a quirk of scheduling prevented them having to qualify for the "Mini World Cup".

Sri Lanka, who subsequently beat England 5-0, were ranked behind them in the ICC standings at the 1 April cut-off point.

Does that mean Andrew Flintoff and his side should be expected home before the end of the month after a chastening experience in India? Perhaps not.

It is almost nine years since England last won a major one-day tournament away from home, when Adam Hollioake's specialist side won a four-team series in Sharjah.

In the four years since the last World Cup, they have won just 45% of the games they have played, putting them seventh in the world, compared to Australia's 72%.

Despite that evidence, Flintoff was upbeat as he departed for India.

"What we've got to work on is consistency," he said.

"We've beaten the best sides in the world but we need to do it on a regular basis and I think we'll gain that through playing together and through experience."

We'll have to play well against two of the best teams in the world but that's an exciting challenge Andrew Flintoff

England's biggest hurdles to one-day success have been injuries and scheduling.

The last time the first-choice one-day side took the field was against Australia in the middle of last year, when they shared the NatWest Series after a thrilling tied final at Lord's.

Because of his ankle injury, Flintoff missed all 11 one-day internationals this summer, including a trip to Ireland.

Steve Harmison missed the six-match series in India and the recent encounter with Pakistan, either to recover from injury or prevent a niggle worsening.

That has meant a constantly-changing side with players unsure as to their roles and responsibilities.

There are injury fears heading into the Champions Trophy, not least Flintoff's ability to return to bowling, but they are getting closer to fielding a first-choice side.

"I'm sure that when we come back from India we'll have a better of the make-up of the side going to Australia," said Flintoff.

"As for the final XI, I don't think we'll know that. There's a lot of variables. You can't really control injuries and lack of form."

England's habit of planning one-day series at the end of tours has often led to a feeling of deflation following the Tests.

Injuries to key players like Harmison have hit hard

That one-day series against Australia preceded the Ashes, and showcased an England team eager to find form.

The same could be true over the next month, especially when the Ashes rivals face each other in Jaipur on 21 October.

England's oldest excuse is lack of experience, and that is still an issue. Paul Collingwood is England's only player with 100 one-day caps, while Flintoff has 99.

The India team they face in a week's time features seven players with more than that total. In fact, the experience of that seven totals 1,391 one-day caps.

Since the last World Cup, England have played 74 one-day internationals, fewer than all the major nations bar New Zealand. Australia have played 96 and India 94.

Flintoff insisted: "We've got quite a bit of [one-day] cricket between now and the World Cup - we've got this tournament and the VB Series as well.

"We'll have to play well against two of the best teams in the world but that's an exciting challenge and something we're looking forward to."

One their day, England have shown they can beat the best, but England still need it to be their day.