Beckham makes fitness pledge

David Beckham today pledged he would be fit to lead England into the ‘‘Group of Death’’ - and warned their World Cup rivals that other injuries would not effect Sven-Goran Eriksson’s bid for glory in Japan.

England team skipper Beckham, now back running after the broken metatarsal in his foot, does not plan to play in the warm-up games against South Korea and Cameroon.