England's hopes of making the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup moved a little closer with a stunning defeat of Pakistan in Cape Town.

Making the most of helpful bowling conditions under the Newlands lights, James Anderson led the way as the England bowlers tore through the Pakistan top order to set up a 112-run victory.

He returned figures of 4-29 to take his tally for the tournament to nine, including Saturday's scalps of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana from the first balls they faced.

He was ably supported by Andy Caddick, Andrew Flintoff and three-wicket Craig White while Ashley Giles, who was in the side for the first time in the World Cup, was not even needed.

The pace quartet extracted the maximum yield from a seaming pitch once the dew had begun to fall, fully vindicating skipper Nasser Hussain's decision to bat upon winning what was always likely to be an important toss.

Pakistan's experienced batting line-up had no answer, and their total of 134 would have been considerably lower had it not been for a feisty 43 from only 16 balls by number 11 Shoaib Ahktar.

His performance was just about the only bright one on a miserable day for Pakistan, and earlier he had marked Australian speedster Brett Lee's card by recording the first 100mph delivery of the tournament.

By that was as good as it got for Pakistan, who were held at bay in the field by gutsy half-centuries by Michael Vaughan and the impressive Paul Collingwood.

Having lost openers Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight early, England were pushed deeper into trouble when Hussain lost his wicket with the score 59-3.

Vaughan and Stewart started the repair job with a fourth wicket partnership of 51, but England lost wickets regularly until Collingwood found ready allies in Flintoff, White and Giles to steer England to 246-8.

Even so that looked 20 or 30 short of par – but Anderson and friends had other ideas, and England go into Wednesday's game against India in Durban knowing a win there will see them into the second stage without the need to get a return from the final group match against Australia.

England: Nasser Hussain (capt), Marcus Trescothick, Nick Knight, Michael Vaughan, Paul Collingwood, Alec Stewart, Andrew Flintoff, Craig White, Ashley Giles, Andrew Caddick, James Anderson.

Pakistan: Waqar Younis (capt), Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar.

22 Feb, 2003