England all washed up after wretched Cup campaign

In 1999, a row over bonuses ruined the team’s preparations.

This time it was to be politics and death threats.

Hussain had pleaded with the British government, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to try to resolve the Zimbabwe issue by shifting the fixture to neighbouring South Africa.

In the end, though, it was left to Hussain and his squad — who had received anonymous death threats if they played in Harare — to make their decision, refusing to play because of security as well as moral and ethical concerns.

It took the players themselves around five days of meetings, during which time England did not train, to come to that decision.

There were rumours of a split within the squad and arguments with their own board, the ECB, who then launched a series of ultimately unsuccessful appeals to move the game.

It was not the preparation of potential world champions.

When the prevarication finally ended and England boycotted Zimbabwe, those four forfeited points meant they had to beat at least two of India, Pakistan and Australia to reach the Super Sixes. They began with less-than-convincing wins over the Netherlands and Namibia before England lifted themselves at Newlands and, helped by an advantageous toss, outplayed Pakistan.