England discover winning formula

Now, 12 months on, England are on the sort of roll that might, just might, flatten any opponent.

True, the West Indies look weaker and more dispirited by the match. But to beat them five times in six Tests, home and away, this year - and by a big margin on each occasion - still takes some doing.

New Zealand, too, were widely predicted to give Vaughan's side a rough ride, only to be whitewashed 3-0.

It wasn't so much whether England would win the Second Test at Edgbaston over the weekend as when they would put the West Indies out of their misery and confirm the Wisden Trophy had been retained.

Now the talk in England's camp concerns a summer clean sweep. Having clobbered the Kiwis 3-0, why not wallop the Windies 4-0?

It is a great target to set. Given that last summer ended with a win over South Africa at The Oval, Vaughan and Co could chalk up eight consecutive victories in home Tests - a sequence of success not achieved since 1959-60.

Happily, there's not a hint of arrogance about this England party - but they are becoming increasingly confident.

"You sense that the team expects to win from any position," Vaughan said after England's 256-run triumph at Edgbaston.

"We were 260 for five in our first innings on a flat pitch and that was below par. We should really have been 300 for three.

"We weren't but we still felt in the dressing room we would get a big total - and we firmly believed that Freddie Flintoff and Geraint Jones would give us that 150 partnership we needed."

They did and their stand put the match beyond West Indies' reach.

"That just comes from winning, being around each other on a regular basis and getting to know one another," added Vaughan when asked to explain England's mood of confidence.

"Winning is the key to everything. If you win games of cricket from positions we have been in over the past year that gives you extra belief."

At Lord's, a week ago, Vaughan was overlooked for the man-of-the-match award despite scoring a century in each innings. The individual prize went to Giles for his nine wickets in a 210-run defeat of the Windies.

In Birmingham, Marcus Trescothick equalled Vaughan's 'twin centuries' feat but wasn't singled out for a special honour. And nor was Giles, even though another nine-wicket bag cost him less than in London.

No, this time the man-of-the-match trophy went to Flintoff for his blazing 167, key first-innings dismissals of Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan and outrageously nonchalant slip catch to remove Pedro Collins.

That is why England appear to be making real and sustainable progress: they are not winning well as a result of one or two people enjoying a purple patch but because players are queuing up to take the star role.

In fact, just about the only member of Vaughan's team not to make a real impression so far this series is Harmison, the 23-wicket destroyer in the Caribbean.

"As I keep saying, Harmison will get a bagful - and probably in the next two games," said his captain.

The West Indies can only hope Vaughan's prediction proves wide of the mark. But not too much has gone wrong for him, or England's Test cricket in general, over the past year.