It was a day, was it not, for posting a total and letting the opposition get sweaty. Vaughan knew better.The last four wickets fell for five runs Read finished with five catches. Ashley Giles – it is tempting to say even Ashley Giles – took two wickets. He had gone six wicketless matches but with his fifth ball, bowling round rather than over the wicket, he had struck. He looks more at home round the wicket.The innings had lasted 32.1 overs and South Africa were left with a heap of problems.

Whither Rhodes and Donald? Whither, more ominously, Klusener? He was left out, Smith said in an unguarded moment, because he was a disruptive presence, but South Africa were winning matches then. The critics were sharpening their tongues and pencils last night.England lost Trescothick early to his usual dismissal, caught in the slips. But Solanki and Vaughan soon began playing strokes all round the ground and romping merrily to victory when Vaughan turned a ball to mid-wicket that was not quite there for it. Solanki, who took 54 balls over his fifty and was quite captivatingly outrageous, played round one.

It did not matter on this occasion.England have done all in the past month that could reasonably have been expected of them. Vaughan has proved an inspired choice as captain and the newcomers have not been exposed. 100 in 126 min, 168 balls.England M E Trescothick c Hall b Ntini 0 V S Solanki b Hall 50 M P Vaughan c Ntini b Nel 30 A McGrath not out 15 A Flintoff not out 6 Extras (lb1, w7, nb2) 10 Total (for 3, 20.2 overs) 111Fall: 1-1 (Trescothick), 2-88 (Vaughan), 3-89 (Solanki).Did not bat: R Clarke, C M W Read, A F Giles, R L Johnson, D Gough, J M Anderson.Bowling: Pollock 5-1-17-0 (nb1), Ntini 5-1-24-1 (w2), Kallis 3-0-33-0 (w2), Nel 5-0-22-1 (nb1, w2), Hall 2.2-0-14-1 (w1) (one spell each).Progress: 50 in 49 min, 65 balls 15 overs score: 87-1. 100 in 84 min, 110 balls.Solanki 50: 65 min, 52 balls, 8 fours, 1 six.Umpires: N A Mallender (England) and S J A Taufel (Australia).TV Replay umpire: J W Lloyds (England). Match referee: C H Lloyd (West Indies).England win by seven wickets.Man of the Match: D Gough Man of the Series: A Flintoff..

Any illusions that England’s refashioned one-day side would take time to settle in were brutally dismantled yesterday – along with South Africa. The trouble now might be curbing expectations after the astonishing, one-sided, seven-wicket victory in the NatWest Series final. For a team who were recently eliminated from the World Cup in the first phase this might be a tad high, but previous results based on two years’ of matches seemingly do not lie. Only Australia and, somewhat perversely, South Africa, are now above them.The final lasted for only 52.3 overs in all.