Vaughan admits England mentally damaged

The England captain says his side urgently need to find a way to heal some of the mental scars inflicted during their horrific Australian tour.

England captain Michael Vaughan says his side urgently need to find a way to heal some of the mental scars inflicted during their horrific Australian tour.

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Vaughan, who is himself sidelined as he continues to battle to overcome a hamstring strain, said the self-doubt permeating the team was "cancerous" and a real threat to England's hopes in the upcoming World Cup.

The 32-year-old said England were working hard to turn their form around, ahead of a crucial triangular series one-day international against New Zealand at Perth's WACA ground on Tuesday.

A loss to the Black Caps would all but end England's hopes of reaching the tri-series finals and Vaughan said the biggest challenge for his side was shedding the mental frailties so evident in their two losses in Adelaide, when they made just 120 and 110.

"At the end of a long, hard tour like this one, it is a mental problem," Vaughan admitted in Perth on Monday.

"Tuesday's game will be a real big game mentally for the guys, to see if they can come back from the disappointment of Adelaide."

"In eight years in the England team, that was as low as I have ever seen players feel," he added.

"That is what tours like this can do to people," he said. "You are getting beat up most days for the whole tour."