The pay dispute looked to finally be heading in the direction of resolution. That was until Cricket Australia again tried to bypass the union and lobby players directly to their inbox via a second pointed video in as many weeks.

The Australian Cricketers' Association are filthy at CA's doubling down. "Two steps forward, three steps back," their assessment. Both parties are now reloading their rhetorical guns for another tour of duty.

But in response, David Warner has fired the biggest shots to date. Do CA even want the team to win this tournament?, he pondered. If so, then why provoke the players with a video that ignores their position that negotiations should be left to the ACA? Bang, bang.

Winning is what they need to do though, immediately, to progress in this already-wearisome campaign. Against the Old Enemy, who are favourites for the Champions Trophy through playing a quality of 50-over cricket no England team has played, well, ever.

Eoin Morgan's team enter the final group game having already qualified for the final four convincingly in straight sets. That pressure off, they now have the chance to send Australia home on QF2 by around dinner time on Sunday.

So then. What could possibly go wrong?

Speaking ahead of the quasi-quarter-final, captain Steve Smith acknowledged the frustration with the rain, but drew on the reputation Australian sides have as big-game players.

"Usually the must-win games get the best out of the Australian cricket team," he said. "We always say with tournament play you have to be peaking at the right time."

He can draw inspiration from his countrymen who stammered their way through the 1999 World Cup in England 18 years ago until, at this ground, they found an unconventional route through with a famous tie before dominating the final.

Turning his attention to England, the Australian captain was reticent to dish out too much praise. "I see them as a good team at the moment," his measured assessment. "They've played some good cricket, particularly here in England."

But Smith also knows that under Trevor Bayliss, a former coach of his at state level, this is not the same side that Australia remembers from the World Cup opener of 2015.

"They've taken the game on a lot more whereas before they may have been a bit hesitant," he said. On that Valentines Day in Melbourne, Australia won by 111 runs and set the trajectory for both sides, a timid England bundled out in comical fashion three weeks later.

"You can't do that the way game is played now," Smith continued. "You have to be confident and really positive in your mindset and approach."

This new England have evolved into the gold standard since that World Cup, their journey in that direction beginning two years ago to the day, also at Edgbaston. Then, they clattered 408 against New Zealand; the first time reaching that magic mark. Significantly, it was done with the identical top six who will be playing Australia.

Asked to identify a weakness in the England line-up, Smith pointed to what he sees as a rigidity in tactics. "They are quite predictable," he said. "Their plans, the way they structure their innings, the way the bowlers are used. The bowlers have a set of skills that we know quite well and know what they are going to do. So you are halfway through the battle."

Despite not playing England in any format since September 2015, Smith is satisfied by the volume of cricket they have played with them in the Indian Premier League, not least Ben Stokes who had an unbelievable tournament under his tutelage at Pune.

"I know what he's capable of," he said. "He's in good nick at the moment, he's hitting the ball well. There are a few things in place for him, perhaps."

Playing on a pitch that has spent ample time under cover has enhanced the possibility of a tasty prospect on Saturday: Australia's four quicks playing together for the first time ever, James Pattinson having not yet been called upon on this tour.

"I dare say a fresh wicket could do a reasonable amount," Smith said. "Particularly if it's overcast and there's a bit of rain about. It might be a bit of an underprepared wicket. So that'll certainly come into the equation."

Before the tournament, Warner said a "psychological blow" landed on England ahead of the Ashes if they could run through them in this fixture. Maybe so, but with this tournament not going to script, that's a secondary concern. Right now, some clear skies and a win of any kind will be perfectly satisfactory.