A brilliant win, now for the toughest test Down Under

Shane Warne, making his writing debut for the Daily Telegraph, considers how England’s World Twenty20 final win over Australia could have implications for the Ashes.

Congrats England, well played, big tick in the box, round one to England – but when it comes to the first day of the Ashes in Brisbane, winning the World Twenty20 will count for nothing, unless MBEs are being handed out!

Every time Australia play England there is talk about the Ashes. We ask, has anyone gained an advantage?

What we can say is that England’s mindset has changed. In the past they thought that if they played at their best they might nick a win. Now they think, “We can beat this lot”. That feeling of being scared of playing Australia has disappeared.

England will have taken a small psychological advantage from Sunday’s final. Australia were just starting to build a bit of momentum and find some consistency in the aftermath of losing last year’s Ashes. But the first time they came up against England in a final they lost.

That will send a message to Australia that they have to play very well to beat England now in any form of the game.

But the Ashes in Australia is very different. It is the hardest series to win and England were embarrassed last time around. England’s planning must be to go out there and beat them every time to keep the momentum going.