Thirteen months ago, Scottish cricket felt threatened with irrelevance.

Having already missed out on the 16-team World T20, Scotland lost their opening game of the World Cup qualifiers to Hong Kong. They had to win six consecutive games to reach the World Cup.

No one who had followed their travails since the height of winning the ICC Trophy in 2005 gave them much hope. Yet, 17 days later, Scotland celebrated qualification for their third World Cup when they recovered from 169-6 to chase down 261 against Kenya.

The players were well aware of the enormity of that game. "We couldn't watch it. We were sat in the pavilion in the little corner with a couple of cups of coffee as nervous as anything," Calum MacLeod reflected. "We knew how big a game it was and what was riding on it, not just for Scotland qualifying for the World Cup but for guys' contracts."

Had Preston Mommsen and Rob Taylor not sealed Scotland's win, a number of the squad today would have found alternative employment.

The scene of the triumph was the Hagley Oval, part of the ground's preparations for the World Cup. Lancaster Park, Christchurch's traditional cricket and rugby venue, was destroyed in the devastating earthquake that claimed 185 lives in 2011. In the city's desperation to host games in the Cricket World Cup, it pledged to turn the Hagley Oval, a picturesque club ground in Hagley Park, into somewhere capable of holding marquee World Cup matches.

This evening, Scotland return to the ground. The Hagley Oval made its Test debut on Boxing Day, and temporary stands during the World Cup lift its capacity up to 20,000. A full house is expected when Scotland face the Auld Enemy in the World Cup for the first time. And after the events of the last week - England's maulings against Australia and New Zealand, and an impressive Scottish bowling performance against the Kiwis - the prospect of a Scottish upset does not seem fantastical to Paul Collingwood, who has a unique perspective on this game.

The record appearance holder for England in ODI cricket, Collingwood was joint head coach as Scotland qualified for the World Cup. He then secured a short-term job with England as an assistant coach during the World T20, when England lost to the Netherlands, before returning to the Scottish fold this winter.

"Of course, it will be an emotionally strange day for me, having been involved in England for so long and playing with a lot of the players in the side, but I'm 100% right behind trying to get Scotland to get this win," said Collingwood, who was not very complimentary about his old team.

"England don't look as if they'll get out of the group at this stage," he said, describing them as "playing at about 30 or 40% of their potential".

No one would say the same about Scotland: 2015 has already brought thumping victories over associate superior Afghanistan and Ireland, and a three-run defeat to the West Indies in a warm-up game. Hence the hope that, after 16 years and nine defeats, Scotland can finally win their maiden game in a World Cup.

"We'll cause problems because we know we have the skill levels and the approach and our first win is just around the corner," Collingwood said. "Hopefully the guys will be singing 'Flower of Scotland' in the dressing room come Monday."

After England's evisceration by New Zealand in front of a febrile home crowd on Friday, they might have craved one of the extended breaks that feature due to the convoluted nature of the group stages - which take over a month. But instead they found themselves with barely 48 hours to prepare for the challenge of Scotland.

The game has already been afforded the obligatory "Battle of Britain" moniker. But, because of England's reluctance to play their neighbours, the ODI history between the teams extends to only three games, all of which have been held in Scotland and won by England.

Christchurch provides a prime opportunity for Scotland to prove themselves worthy of more games and to show that, for all the excitement generated by Ireland's cricketing ascent, Scotland have also made significant steps in the last decade. The squad is fully professional, and plans to develop a new national base at Stirling are indicative of the side's intent.

Much good has been accomplished off the field in the last decade, but Scottish cricket is still craving a marquee victory. Scotland's only victory over a Test-playing nation remains in a T20 international against Bangladesh in the Netherlands in 2012, hardly a result to demand inclusion on the front pages as Ireland's win against England in Bangalore in 2011 did.

"If we can get that first-ever World Cup win under our belt, there's no better time than against England," Collingwood said. "That would mean so much to Scottish cricket."

It would also put England at grave risk of being bundled out in the group stages of the World Cup, but Collingwood is not feeling charitable towards the team he once captained.