Ashes pain forgiven? England rescued by old foe

Alex Carey, David Warner, Steve Smith and each of that Ashes symptom - England fans forgive you.

For Scotland, this was T20 World Cup heartache - pinch Chris Sole's dropped drawback successful nan last complete only adding to 36 hours of sadistic sporting misery.

For England, Australia’s gripping triumph against Scotland - which knocked retired nan Scots and sent Jos Buttler’s broadside done to nan Super 8s - offered axenic relief, served up by their oldest cricketing rivals.

Last summertime Travis Head was pounding England bowlers successful an effort to triumph backmost nan Ashes urn.

He was successful nan mediate connected that last time astatine The Oval pinch Smith, nan brace threatening to return Australia location earlier Stuart Broad’s expansive finale.

Eighteen months earlier, during England’s astir caller task down under, Head flogged Ben Stokes et al astir Brisbane successful a blistering century.

It was only nan 2nd time of nan series, but England would ne'er retrieve from it.

This clip each of his 68 runs, including 3 sixes successful 3 momentum-swinging deliveries precocious on, will person been celebrated by each English instrumentality pursuing nan events done nan early hours of Sunday morning.

When six catches were dropped – nan astir by immoderate squad successful nan history of nan men’s title – nan conspiracy theorists were nary uncertainty stretching for their keyboards, particularly successful nan ray of Josh Hazlewood’s comments this week.

At 1 shape successful their chase, Australia, who were already qualified for nan Super 8s and allowed Scotland to heap up 180-5 - their highest full astatine a T20 World Cup - needed 89 from 7 overs.

England fans should not person worried.

Resisting going each retired for a triumph is not nan Australian way. Perhaps they conscionable wanted England fans to sweat on nan way.

“More externally than internally,” skipper Mitchell Marsh said afterwards, erstwhile asked astir nan sound astir nan results ramification connected England.

“We won coming and that’s each that matters.”

The consequence is England move connected to St Lucia, having looked definite to beryllium connected nan adjacent formation to London contempt their ain dramatic triumph complete Namibia connected Saturday.

And this was expected to beryllium nan easy part; qualification from a group that should not person led to specified play for nan defending champions.

Instead, jeopardy has been astir their run since their opening crippled against Scotland was washed out and defeat by Australia past Saturday only heaped connected much pressure.

But England merit in installments for nan measurement they person responded since.

They first dispatched Oman and past Namibia, achieving nan plaything successful nett run-rate that has yet sent Richie Berrington's Scotland home.

Against Namibia they coped good pinch nan accent of nan Antiguan weather, which threatened to nonstop them location moreover earlier nan Scots came agonisingly close.

England person pointed to a relaxed training convention astatine nan aged Antigua Recreation Ground connected Tuesday – a greeting of believe that turned into a six-hitting title successful nan nets – arsenic grounds of a campy that is together.

They cognize they person been present before.

They won this tourney connected these very islands successful 2010, having scrambled done nan group shape acknowledgment to their nett run-rate.

They had a likewise sketchy commencement to winning nan title 12 years later successful Melbourne.

Momentum has been 1 of their closest friends.

But still location are questions astir really overmuch we person really learned astir this England broadside nether skipper Buttler and coach Matthew Mott successful nan past 2 weeks.

Through they spell but person they put their dismal defence of nan 50-over World Cup past autumn down them?

Wins against 2 subordinate sides, improving outfits nonetheless, are not capable to opportunity conclusively.

Ten ropey overs against Scotland earlier nan rainfall and nan conclusion by Australia successful Barbados constituent to nan contrary.

England, though, will now return their spot successful a Super 8s group that includes South Africa, co-hosts West Indies and nan intriguing imaginable of nan USA.

It is simply a quartet pinch nary evident favourite.

The hosts, who England play first successful nan early hours of Thursday morning, were almost beaten by Papua New Guinea successful their first game, South Africa escaped by nan separator of 1 tally against Nepal connected Saturday while nan US will nary longer person location advantage pinch nan group played solely successful nan Caribbean.

Were England to advancement past a semi-final aliases last against Australia could await again.

There they would beryllium acold little charitable.