England arrived in South Africa hoping their hectic one-day schedule might just work in their favour at the inaugural ICC World Twenty20.

Less than 48 hours after completing a memorable NatWest Series triumph over India at Lord's, England this morning landed in Johannesburg ahead of a fortnight of cricket at its most frenetic.

They will transfer to Cape Town today for group games against Zimbabwe and Australia on Thursday and Friday and end up playing seven matches in 12 days if they reach the final.

Having already played seven matches against India in 18 days, it is a gruelling timetable but one captain Paul Collingwood believes could benefit them.

''It's been a quick turnaround from the one-day series against India but we've played some fantastic cricket against them and we're coming into this tournament with a lot of confidence,'' enthused Collingwood. ''We're buzzing - it's only been a couple of days since we won the game on Saturday - and I think that quick turnaround could work in our favour.

''All the players are in good form, they're confident and when you're confident you go out there and play your best cricket.''

England's schedule has not allowed a practice game before they face Zimbabwe later this week, which many critics believe could hamper their prospects after three weeks of 50-overs cricket. But Collingwood believes the same disciplines which are successful in the 50-over format can be replicated.

''The same kind of skills are used in both forms of the game, but it's perhaps a little bit quicker in Twenty20 cricket,'' he conceded. ''There are a lot of basic one-day skills that you can take into Twenty20 cricket.

''There are the same type of thought processes and the same approaches, but it's a lot quicker and you haven't got as many balls to face or to bowl.

''Because we've been practising those skills over the last four or five weeks hopefully we can continue improving and take that confidence into the games themselves."