"We have to improve our batting display when we play South Africa because we know they are a good side and they're going to put us under pressure," said Vaughan after England limped to a four-wicket win over Bangladesh here on Wednesday.

Chasing a modest 144-run target, England crumbled to 110-6 against spirited spin bowling by the left-arm duo of Abdur Razzak and Mohammad Rafique before Paul Collingwood (23) and Paul Nixon (20) saw them home.

"It was a nervous kind of batting display because we just wanted to get over the line. We showed against Sri Lanka and, at times, against Australia that when we turn up and play then we do well. We're going to give South Africa a great game."

England's chances of sneaking into the last four rest on their last two Super Eights games against South Africa (April 17) and West Indies (April 21) -- both in Barbados.

England have just four points having also won against Ireland in the second round but been defeated by champions Australia as well as Sri Lanka.

Australia and New Zealand lead the table with eight points from four matches, followed by Sri Lanka (6pts/4 matches) and South Africa (6/5).

Bangladesh (2/5) and the West Indies (2/5) are behind England and virtually out of contention.

Vaughan himself is in poor form, having a sequence of 45, one, six, nought, five and 30 in the current World Cup.

"It's about 30 more than I've been getting lately," said Vaughan about his score against Bangladesh.

"I'd like to have been a bit more free, but they bowled quite nicely and it was important to get some time out in the middle. I felt my feet were moving well and I'd have liked to have got 60 or 70 but it's good to have a few.

Vaughan said Bangladesh's test would add to his team's confidence. "It was tighter than we'd have liked but we got the two points, we've got a few days off now and we have to make sure we go into that South Africa game hopefully playing a little bit better," he said.

"We know a little more about the Barbados wicket now we've played on it. It's quite a tricky pitch and it's not the flat track everyone thinks it is so it's going to be quite interesting to see how it plays against South Africa."

Vaughan praised man-of-the-match Sajid Mahmood whose 3-27 helped England restrict Bangladesh to a meagre 143 all out.

"Sajid bowled tremendously well but we just didn't quite get our lines and lengths consistent but still restricted them to a very low total.

"They made it very difficult, bowled very straight and those three spinners were a hard option and you can see how they've won games in this World Cup," said Vaughan of the Bangladeshi slow bowlers who helped engineer an upset 67-run win over South Africa in Guyana last week.

Mahmood, who took a career-best 4-50 against Sri Lanka last week, hoped he can improve.

"It's a quick and bouncy wicket and hopefully in the next couple of games I can get the ball in decent areas. I think I'm hitting quite good areas and I'm working hard on my consistency in the nets," said the 25-year-old.