NASSER HUSSAIN has written off Alan Mullally's World Cup chances - but has offered hope to his Hampshire teammate, Dimitri Mascarenhas.

England skipper Hussain watched from the Lord's balcony as John Crawley helped shepherd his country to a draw against Sri Lanka on Monday.

But Hussain is already planning for the fifth World Cup, which will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya in eight months' time.

And he has bad news for Mullally, who won the man of the match award for his 2-16 during the World Cup win against a Zimbabwe side including Neil Johnson three years ago.

England begin their World Cup campaign against Zimbabwe in Harare on February 13.

But Hampshire's 32-year-old left arm strike bowler, who has played 50 one day internationals, is unlikely to be involved.

Hussain said: "Alan Mullally is a proven performer and has bowled well for England in the past but unfortunately for him we have moved away to a younger one-day side.

"Players now need to be able to bat and field as well as bowl, we need players who can offer something in all three disciplines.

"His name will undoubtedly come up in selection later this summer, but we are looking to build a side for the World Cup and there are other aspects to the game apart from bowling.

"He's a proven performer with the ball, although he could do with swinging it in to the right hander a bit more."

England skipper Hussain came up against the Hampshire seam trio of Mullally, Mascarenhas and Chris Tremlett during Hampshire's Benson & Hedges Cup loss at Chelmsford earlier this month.

Mascarenhas has taken 13 one-day wickets at 8.5 runs apiece so far this season and Hussain added: "Dimitri Mascarenhas has bowled well whenever I've seen him and he is in form at the moment.

"He is definitely a player under consideration and I was thinking about whether he could do a job at international level when he was bowling to me.

"He usually gets me out for a pastime so I was glad he didn't, but I thought he bowled well."

England Academy man Tremlett only bowled three overs before a calf strain forced him off the field at Chelmsford.

But what Hussain saw of the 6ft 7in 20-year-old reminded him of former Middlesex and England stalwart Angus Fraser.

Hussain added: "Chris hits the splice of the bat very hard with a heavy ball similar to the type that Gus used to bowl. I was a bit disappointed that he got injured because I wanted a better look at him."

Meanwhile, Mascarenhas is expected to recover from his hamstring strain in time to be included in the side to play against Yorkshire at Headingley on Friday.