England's second Test 266-run thrashing of West Indies at Edgbaston was their eighth victory in nine Tests this year following 3-0 wins against West Indies (away) and New Zealand (home) plus an equally crushing 210-run win against Brian Lara's men in the first Test at Lord's.

They now have an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the current four-Test series and, following last year's win against South Africa at The Oval, are aiming for eight successive home victories -- something that last happened way back in 1959-60.

But the team itself is desperate not to get carried away by talk of "bring on the Aussies".

Success against Australia still remains the standard by which many England fans judge their team even when, unlike currently, the men in baggy green caps are not the best side in the world.

England's recent victories have come against perhaps the weakest West Indies teams in living memory making it hard to gauge just how effective they will be against Australia.

"We go step by step," said swing bowler Matthew Hoggard, one of England's unsung heroes of recent times, after Edgbaston.

"We focus on that game, we take small steps and small strides and we're finding it's working for us. If we do that the rest will take care of itself.

"Australia are still the best in the world and they're the benchmark. They've set the standards and we're just trying to creep up slowly -- we're concentrating on playing good, solid cricket."

Pleasingly for England their recent success has seen most of the team taking ther turn in a spotlight that once looked like being solely reserved for fast bowler Stephen Harmison.

England's spearhead has yet to enjoy the same success in this series as he did in the Caribbean where he took 23 wickets.

Before the present series West Indies captain Brian Lara said England lacked a 'Plan B' if Harmison was out-of-form -- a charge Vaughan's men have answered in style.

And few, least of all Vaughan, would bet against the Durham quick coming good again soon: "Harmison will get a bagful -- and probably in the next two matches," said Vaughan.

Australia needed just 11 days' playing time to wrap up the last Ashes contest in 2002-03, a series where England's hopelessness was summed up by the embarrassing sight of Harmison repeatedly losing his run-up in the third Test at Perth.

Now he is rated amongst the world's best bowlers. If England have made a similar improvement by 2005 the next Ashes series will be one to remember.