Fabio Capello has confirmed that England (11/2 in the outright betting) will be based at Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus, near Rustenberg, during the World Cup, despite facilities not yet being complete.

The Three Lions boss has been impressed each time he has visited the complex at Phokeng and, having been given assurances from officials it will be ready in time, England will use it as a base throughout their time in South Africa.

I’m really happy. We checked everything and it improved a lot from the last time we stayed here,” Capello said.

“The pitches are good and will be better for June. The pitches and the centre we choose will be very important for us.

“The hotel is really, really nice and the medical centre will be ready in two months. I’m really, really happy because it’s the third time I’ve stayed here and the facilities are fantastic.

“We visited four different places and this was the best.”

England open their campaign on June 12 with an evening kick-off against USA and are 1/2 in the early match betting, with the Americans available at 9/2 and the draw at 11/4.

Capello’s men also line up alongside Slovenia and Algeria in Group C but are fancied to top the group at 1/3, with USA next best at 4/1, while England are a strong 1/14 to make it through to the knockout stages.

England manager Fabio Capello says he is hopeful John Terry will play an important role for his side at the 2010 World Cup.

Capello took the decision last week to strip the Chelsea (7/10 to beat Everton on the midweek coupon) defender of the captains armband following a number of allegations about Terry’s private life being published by the press.

The Italian made the call based on what he thought would be best for the England players (11/2 to win the World Cup) as they continue their build up for the World Cup in South Africa (125/1).

Capello says he now wants to draw a line under the issue and look ahead to the future with Manchester United (7/5 to be outright winners of the Premier League) defender Rio Ferdinand taking over as skipper.

Capello has also given his support to Terry, insisting the 29-year-old is still a vital part of his plans to bring the World Cup back to England (4/1 to reach the semi-final).

“This is now over,” explained Capello. “It is finished. It is time to move on.

“John Terry is still an important player for England. He is still one of the most important players for England.”

Capello was speaking following the draw for Euro 2012 which saw England (8/1 to be Euro 2012 outright winners) named alongside Wales, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Montenegro for their campaign to qualify.

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A Graeme Smith-inspired South Africa ended day three of the third Test on 312-2 in their second innings to secure a 330-run lead over England (South Africa 2/9 draw 18/5 England 18/1 South Africa v England 3rd Test).

A 19th Test century from Smith was the highlight of the day for the Proteas, who have put themselves in a strong position to win in Cape Town and level the four-match series.

The tourists started the day on 241-8 and lost both Graeme Swann and James Anderson without adding to the score, but Matt Prior went on to make 76 as England were all out for 273 - 18 runs behind.

Despite losing Ashwell Prince, trapped lbw by Swann, with just 31 on the board, Smith and Hashim Amla put on 230 for the second South African wicket with Amla eventually falling five short of a century.

But Smith was still unbeaten on 162 at the close and will be joined at the crease by first-innings centurion Jacques Kallis, 20 not out, when play resumes on Wednesday morning.

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England captain Andrew Strauss felt the side’s second-Test win over South Africa by an innings and 98 runs was possibly the best victory he has ever witnessed.

The tourists now have a 1-0 series lead ahead of the third Test in Cape Town on January 3, 2010, with Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad taking nine second-innings wickets between them as South Africa were skittled out for 133 on the final day in Durban.

England wasted no time in taking the four wickets needed as South Africa resumed on 76-6, a deficit of 156. However, the hosts could only add 58 runs as England ran riot to inflict their first innings defeat on South Africa since 1964.

Man of the match Swann finished with second-innings figures of 5-54 to make it nine in the match, while Broad cost 43 runs for his four second-innings wickets.

Strauss said: “It’s not far off the best performance I’ve seen from an England side, certainly away from home.

“I’m delighted we’ve stuck to our plans - we’ve had some outstanding performances here that have laid the basis for the victory.

“Our seamers did a really good job in their first innings. We’re going to have to keep our feet on the ground for Cape Town, but 1-0 up in the series with two matches to go is a good place to be.”

Medical checks have revealed that Paul Collingwood has not suffered a broken finger and should be available for the remainder of England’s Test series in South Africa.

The Durham all-rounder, who scored 91 in the first innings in Durban, was struck whilst warming up before the start of the fourth day of the second Test.

England (1/16 to win the second Test) officials sent Collingwood to a local hospital to get an X-ray on the troublesome area and the news is good.

The former one-day captain has just dislocated the index finger on his right hand and although he is unlikely to play again in this match, he is likely to feature in the third Test in Cape Town.

Despite his absence, England finished day four in a commanding position – leading by 156 runs with South Africa 76-6 in their second innings at stumps.

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Andrew Strauss has insisted England will go forward to Durban for the second Test against South Africa (South Africa 8/13 draw 3/1 England 3/1 Test Series - Outright) on Boxing Day with their confidence intact.

The Three Lions survived a nail-biting finish on Sunday at Centurion to secure a draw against their hosts thanks to the heroics of number 11 Graham Onions and captain Strauss (10/3 Second Test - Top England Batsman)  was delighted with his side’s fighting qualities under pressure.

England looked good value to claim a stalemate on 169 for three at tea but the second new ball brought five wickets for 13 runs in 11 overs and it was Collingwood and Onions who put on a brave last stand to deny South Africa.

The finish brought back memories of the draw in Cardiff at the start of last summer’s Ashes, and Strauss admitted: ”If we’d lost, it would have hurt us pretty badly.

”But we can be very confident going into Durban, because I think we’ve played some very good cricket here. We had to dig deep a few times, and players were able to do that.

”We’re a confident group, and I don’t think anything has happened in this Test that will knock us considerably.’

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England spinner Graeme Swann has defended Andrew Strauss’ decision to bowl on the first day of the first test against South Africa (13/10 to beat England on the Test match coupon).

The tourists made a bright start to the day with Stuart Broad dismissing Proteas skipper Graeme Smith for a nine ball duck with just one run on the board.

However, England (5/1 to beat South Africa in the cricket betting) were made to toil in the field for the rest of the day with the home side reaching 262-4 at stumps on a flat Centurion wicket.

Jacques Kallis (5/4 to be the next man out) was the star for South Africa as he made 112 not out and didn’t look troubled, even when England took the new ball at the end of the day.

Strauss is likely to come in for some criticism for his decision to bowl first, but Swann says the rest of the England team were behind their captain.

“I think we were justified bowling first. It looked green and seemed a bit damp yesterday so we were all behind the decision,” said Swann.

“No-one said Test cricket was easy. We’ve stuck in, taken four wickets and they’ve not got away from us. South Africa is renowned for good batting pitches so there’s a lot of hard work to come.”

England will be desperate to take some quick wickets at the start of day two to avoid South Africa racking up a big total.

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Graeme Swann was the star of England’s attack, taking six for 55, as the warm-up match against a South Africa Invitational XI in East London ended in a draw.

The first Test against South Africa starts next Wednesday in Centurion and the Proteas are 6/5 favourites to make home advantage count, with the draw priced at 8/5 and England available at 14/5.

The first of two warm-up matches had been rain interrupted but England declared on 329 for 8, with Alastair Cook top-scoring with 81 and Ian Bell (48) and Matt Prior (44) spending some useful time out in the middle before retiring.

Graeme Swann also had time to club a quick-fire 39 not out but it was with the ball in hand that the England offspinner shone by taking six wickets, including a spell of three wickets in four balls.

In the end, the home side ended on 167 for seven with Graham Onions the only other wicket-taker, and Stuart Broad struggling to find his line.

Swann himself though is happy to have found his rhythm so quickly after being out of action with a side strain for a couple of weeks.

“As spinners go if you’ve been bowling and feel a semblance of rhythm then you are fairly happy with life,” he said.

“There are different lines and the big difference is you try not to go for many runs in one-day cricket. It’s been coming out of my hand fairly nicely all tour and I don’t find it that big a deal at the minute.”

England are expected to welcome back James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom to the attack for the final warm-up match against South Africa Airways XI, starting on Friday.

The Proteas, recently deposed as the number one ranked side in the world, are 8/13 favourites to go on and win the four-match series, with England priced at 11/4 and the draw at 7/2.

Head coach Fabio Capello has warned his England players and expectant supporters against World Cup complacency (England 11/2 World Cup 2010 outright winner market).

The experienced Italian issued his warning in response to Friday’s draw which sees England face USA, Slovenia and Algeria in Group C (England 1/3 Group C betting) at the showpiece tournament in South Africa next year.

By contrast, Brazil will have to tackle Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea in what has been dubbed the ‘Group of Death’.

Capello warned there are no cakewalks in tournament football and recalled Italy’s disastrous 1974 campaign when the Azzurri crashed out of a group they were expected to breeze through.

He said: “There are other groups that are stronger than ours but I remember when I was a player in Germany in 1974 sometimes you can think the group is easy and it will not be so.

“That is what I will tell the players - because psychologically the games you have to play in a World Cup are different to other games.

“I know from my experience as a player that when you play here the pressure is different and the mentality is different.”

Capello also revealed England are likely to face Egypt in a friendly on March 3 as preparation for facing Algeria.

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Andrew Strauss defiantly insisted England would respond from their crushing 112-run third one-day international defeat by South Africa when the two nations meet on Sunday (South Africa 8/15 draw 6/4 match bets) at Port Elizabeth.

The Three Lions had hoped to make it seven successive 50-over wins over their hosts but were left licking their wounds in Cape Town.

AB de Villiers’ turned in a belligerent 112 and Hashim Amla chipped in with an impressive 84 to help South Africa storm to a ground record-equalling 354 for six at Newlands.

England struggled under the lights and only Paul Collingwood emerged with any genuine credit after posting 86, with fast bowlers Wayne Parnell (five for 48) and Morne Morkel (three for 39) doing most of the damage.

The series is now tied 1-1 with the fourth match taking place on Sunday (South Africa 11/10 drawn series 6/5 England 9/2 ODI Series Outright) and Strauss said he had complete faith in his team-mates.

Strauss said: “We can bounce back strong tomorrow.

“I still believe in that dressing room there are 11 very positive cricketers, who are happy with their games - and there’s no reason why we can’t win tomorrow.

“We’ve got a very good record of coming back after defeats and South Africa have proved they can do it as well.”

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