England out to make history: Prior

Matt Prior said on Monday that a buoyant England were using their barren run at the World Cup as a major motivation for glory this time around.

Despite being one of the game's major forces, England are yet to win cricket's showpiece tournament -- although they did manage to reach the final in 1979, 1987 and 1992.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Prior said England's rediscovered confidence stemmed from their World Twenty20 triumph last year and the drubbing of Australia in the Ashes series Down Under after a gap of 24 years.

"Before the T20 World Cup, England had never won an ICC (International Cricket Council) event," he said. "It was 24 years before England won the Ashes in Australia. So we see it as a challenge.

"We know what the records suggest. We have got a very strong team and big belief, a strong belief in this team. You know records are there to be broken so that will not stand in our way.

"If there is anything, it is the motivation to play better."

Prior said the team will look to peak at the right time.

"We want to win it. That's why we are here. But I think it is important that we don't look too far ahead. You are not going to win the World Cup on the first day.

"Every team has to be respected. You take one game at a time with one goal -- to win."

Prior said winning the World Cup was as important to his team as the Ashes. "For an Englishman to win the Ashes in Australia is a huge prize. To win the World Cup will be right alongside the Ashes. I don't think you will put one as more important than the other.

"It would be a phenomenal thing to achieve."

England are placed in Group B with India, South Africa, Bangladesh, Ireland, the Netherlands and the West Indies, with the top four sides making it to the quarter-finals.

The tournament starts in Dhaka on Saturday. England start their title march against the Netherlands three days later.