Former England one-day captain Michael Vaughan. - file

chester-le-street, england (ap)

Michael Vaughan stepped down as captain of England's one-day international cricket team yesterday following the team's poor performance in the World Cup.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said the new captain would be revealed on Friday. Allrounder Paul Collingwood is favourite to get the job, although batsman Kevin Pietersen has also been mentioned.

"Since our disappointing performances in the World Cup, I have been giving careful consideration as to what is the best way forward for the England one-day team and my own role within the side," Vaughan said.

The 32-year-old Vaughan said he reached his decision some time ago, but did not want to announce it until near the end of the Test series against West Indies, which ends today.

Intense speculation

"Due to intense speculation in the media about my future, I feel it is important to make my intentions clear now," Vaughan said.

"Our priority is to build a one-day squad able to compete strongly at the next World Cup and I firmly believe that the interests of the team will be best served if I step down and allow another player to gain additional experience of captaincy in the one-day international arena."

Vaughan remains captain of England's Test team and the team's 60-run victory over West Indies at Old Trafford in the third Test made him the most successful captain with 21 victories in 35 games.

Vaughan, Collingwood and Pietersen are playing in the fourth and final Test against West Indies at Chester-Le-Street.

The 31-year-old Collingwood scored his fifth Test century yesterday while Pietersen was out without scoring.

"I don't see how I could turn the job down," Collingwood said when asked if he would accept the captaincy.

"There are obviously going to be a few people who are up for the job in the one-day side so we will have to wait and see who the selectors believe the best man for the job is."

Vaughan had previously argued against having two national captains, but Collingwood said England could prosper under the arrangement. "I think it's proved in the past that it can work," he added. "Australia had Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh and had a great combination there with two people who both went in the same direction.

"Hopefully the same combination can be made in this respect. I think it's up to both captains to work in the same direction and I'm sure they will."

Vaughan has struggled with serious injuries in the past two years and is battling to regain the Test form that made him a world-class batsman.

But he has not been able to produce one-day form with the bat or with his team, which failed to reach the final stages of this year's World Cup.

In the Caribbean, Vaughan scored 130 runs in the first eight games before scoring 79 in the last match against West Indies, a dead match as both teams were already eliminated.

The 32-year-old Vaughan has been in charge of England's one-day fortunes since Nasser Hussain stepped down after the 2003 World Cup.

He has led the side in 60 matches, winning 32 and losing 22. But his career one-day average is only 27.15 from 86 games, and he has never made a limited overs century.

Vaughan said he looked forward to a strong relationship with the new ODI captain.

"I will continue to play one-day cricket for Yorkshire and it is not my intention to retire from one-day international cricket as a player," he said. "I do, however, fully appreciate that the new captain will need a period of time to establish his own authority over the team."