England captain Michael Vaughan hailed his side's "best win of the season" after their seven-wicket series-clinching third Test victory over West Indies at Old Trafford.
Vaughan's England team are now on the brink of becoming the most successful since Percy Chapman's side wrapped up their seventh straight win 75 years ago during the 1928-1929 Ashes tour of Australia.
The 2004 vintage will equal that record if they win the fourth and final Test at The Oval starting tomorrow after victory at Old Trafford put them 3-0 ahead in the present series.
"It's a great achievement," Vaughan said after an unbroken stand of 120 between Robert Key (93 not out) and local hero Andrew Flintoff (57 not out) saw England home.
He added: "It's probably our best win of the summer in the context of where we were at yesterday [Sunday]. To chase 230 odd on the last day here was a real good effort."
England were certainly made to work hard for their latest victory, which was effectively achieved inside four days after the whole of Friday's second day was washed out without a ball bowled.
They then collapsed to 40 for three in their first innings before being rescued by a stand of 177 between man-of-the-match Graham Thorpe (114) and Andrew Strauss (90).
Another win also looked unlikely when West Indies were 88 for one in their second innings before the tourists collapsed to 165 all out in the face of some disciplined bowling.
Ultimately, England's pursuit of 231 for victory on Monday was achieved with more than 27 overs to spare.
But before they began, England knew Thorpe, their most experienced batsman and best judge of a run-chase would only bat in dire emergency after having his right little finger broken while facing fast bowler Fidel Edwards.
Chase
"The manner we chased them down, knowing Graham Thorpe wasn't going to bat a lot today (Monday), psychologically that was a great boost for the team.
"It's a huge win for the side. Over the last few years Graham Thorpe's been a pivotal part of England chases and now we've won without him," said Vaughan who added that Thorpe was unlikely to be fit in time for The Oval where his place would be taken by uncapped but in-form Warwickshire batsman Ian Bell.
Vaughan also singled out Key, who made a double century in England's 210-series opening win at Lord's after replacing the still-injured Mark Butcher, but has struggled for runs since.
"He's a real fighter," said Vaughan of the 25-year-old Kent batsman. "He looked so composed. He looked as if he was going to see us home.
Looking ahead to The Oval, Vaughan said: "Back-to-backs aren't easy but they are a lot easier when you win. When we are in a situation where it can go either way, we firmly believe it's going to go our way."
Meanwhile West Indies captain Brian Lara tried to find a few positives after another convincing defeat.
"I thought we were very competitive in this match and I'm very proud of the young guys in this team," said Lara, who added 20-year-old all-rounder Dwayne Bravo (77 and six for 55) had had a "tremendous" match.
In April, West Indies avoided a whitewash in the Caribbean against England -- who won the series 3-0 -- thanks to Lara's world record 400 not out in the drawn fourth Test in Antigua.
And last year, again in Antigua, they prevented an Australian clean sweep in the West Indies with a Test world record fourth innings winning total of 418 for seven.
RSS