No Consolation For Hussain

Hussain's men were defeated with two balls to spare after an unbroken stand of 73 for the ninth wicket between Andy Bichel and Michael Bevan.

"We had to beat Australia and if we had done so and gone through we would have taken four points and put an end to that run," said Hussain. "So there is not a lot of consolation."

England will now have to rely on a Pakistani triumph and Hussain added: "I don't know if I will pay much notice to that game, it's out of our hands and we will know at the end of Tuesday whether the result has gone our way or not."

Hussain was adamant that there were no regrets about forfeiting their fixture in Zimbabwe on safety grounds, following defeats to India and the Australians.

"I have none at all, any other country going to Zimbabwe is completely different to any other country going to Zimbabwe and people should realise that," said the England captain.

Australia were guided to within a stroke of victory in the penultimate over when Bichel smashed James Anderson for six and then hit the next ball for four. They had begun the over needing 14 and with Andrew Caddick, who rocked the Aussies with four early wickets, having an over left to bowl.

Hussain plumped for Anderson, instead, however and explained: "Andy was going to bowl the last over at the pavilion end but I just had a judgment call. The over before Jimmy used his variations and his slower ball seemed to have Bevan in trouble.

"I thought it was important to take pace off the ball and Caddick would be a bit one-paced."