A World Cup defence that was 46 minutes from termination by the Antiguan rain is now well and truly alive for England after they stormed into the semi-finals.
It is remarkable they became the first team to reach the last four considering their up-and-down form but another clinical performance against an associate, this time beating a United States team that had run out of puff by 10 wickets, guaranteed a top-two spot regardless of the result of the late-night game between West Indies and South Africa.
Led by Barbados-born Chris Jordan’s hat-trick, England dismissed the United States for 115, ripping out the last five wickets for zero runs in six balls.
It left them with the simple task of knocking off their target within 18.4 overs to ensure their net run rate could not be overhauled in the other group game. It was over in the blink of an eye.
Jos Buttler blasted his team through, hitting spinner Harmeet Singh for five sixes in an over, and the captain finding form is another major boost for England. Buttler crashed 83 off 38 balls with six fours and seven sixes as he and Phil Salt charged to the line in only 9.4 overs.
In doing so, Buttler and Matthew Mott achieved their par target of a last-four place and are now two wins away from defending the Twenty20 World Cup, despite only beating one Test nation and squirming as the rain fell to threaten their last game in the first group phase with Namibia.
Three of their four victories have been hammerings of minnows and their only win over a full member side was the victory in St Lucia on Wednesday against West Indies. That comfortable win proved crucial, giving them a run-rate cushion that allowed them to lose to South Africa on Friday without denting their chances of qualifying.
England possess the depth of talent to win the World Cup, and bags of tournament experience, but their inconsistency playing top sides makes them fortunate semi-finalists. Teams have won World Cups before from similar positions; it is all about timing the run.
They now face a wait to see where they will play their semi-final due to the ludicrous structure of this World Cup to suit Indian television.
It is written in the playing conditions that India, should they qualify, will play a semi-final in Guyana on Thursday because it has a 10.30am start time which suits the Asian broadcast market where the vast majority of revenue is generated.
It means India have been able to plan for a daytime semi-final, which suits their bowlers, in Guyana from the start and the others in their half of the draw to scheme in Trinidad, the other last-four venue. Meanwhile, England are still waiting to know whether they will fly to Georgetown on Tuesday or Port-of-Spain. They will not find out their fate until after the completion of group two late on Monday night.
At least they are still standing, somehow. Performances have been patchy, there have been tactical missteps and players out of form but England’s spirit and fight cannot be questioned.
Jordan replaced Mark Wood and is now locked in after four for 10, ending the United States innings with England’s first T20 hat-trick. It was a genuine hat-trick too, not players caught slogging in the deep. He bowled Ali Khan, pinned Nostush Kenjige in front and hit Saurabh Netrvalkar off stump through the gate with a ripper. Jofra Archer lifted him off his feet in celebration and a good Sunday morning crowd swelled by the Jordan family revelled in the success of a home boy.
Buttler won the toss and seized the chance to bowl the United States out which would give England the assurance of knowing how to pace their run chase to protect their run rate. Jordan finished it off but a good start by the United States in the powerplay – 48 for two – was pegged back by Adil Rashid’s two for 13 in four overs.
Rashid controlled the Super Eight, bowling 12 overs in three games at 4.5 an over, conceding just one four and one six. On slow, turning pitches in the semi-final he will be Buttler’s control valve. He now looks sharp, after starting the World Cup slowly going at 11 an over against Scotland and Australia.
Rashid arrived at the World Cup with only two T20s since February and his lack of cricket was another England oversight. England needed him sharp from the off in a World Cup and it nearly cost them, but now he is performing like the best T20-ranked bowler in the world. He made Aaron Jones and Nitish Kumar look foolish with the wrong ’un in a spell of two for 13.
United States did the associate game a power of good by reaching the Super Eight, and ran South Africa close in their opening game, but ended up whipping boys. South Africa’s laboured, 21-run win over United States and failure to lift their net run rate significantly left them in the position of having to beat West Indies to qualify, despite a 100 per cent record at the World Cup. Perhaps it is written in the stars for England. Or maybe that patchy form will bite them at last.