'We're demoralised', admits Fleming

The contrasting moods of the England and New Zealand camps were plain for all to see, as the two captains faced the press after England's crushing nine-wicket victory in the second Test at Headingley. For Michael Vaughan, whose team has now won eight and lost just one of their last 12 Tests, it was the continuation of a wonderfully uplifting run of form, but Stephen Fleming's mood was as black as the cap he was wearing.

"That has got to go down as a big missed opportunity," said Fleming. "I'd be lying if we said we weren't demoralised. We've just lost the series, despite posting 409 in helpful bowling conditions, and that's not how it should be when you bat first.

"It was almost as though there were two games going on out there," added Fleming, who singled out Stephen Harmison as the difference between the teams. "Harmison was England's leading light, no question. In these conditions, he was outstanding. He magnified all the inconsistencies in the wicket, and the pressure allowed Hoggard, Saggers and Flintoff to work away at the other end."

In addition to taking wickets, Harmison restricted New Zealand's scoring-rate to little more than two runs per over, to provide yet more confirmation of his status as the leading fast bowler in the world. And despite his disappointment, Fleming was fulsome in his praise, suggesting that Harmison had all the attributes for greatness.

"I'm sure he would like to end up with the same statistics as Glenn McGrath, but I believe he is a different and more dynamic bowler - more of a Brett Lee. He has a bit more height and that extra yard of pace, and personally I wouldn't hold him back to a McGrath role, though that's not to diminish it, of course."

In the circumstances, New Zealand felt the absence of Shane Bond even more acutely. He is flying home after the game to continue his rehabilitation from injury, which leaves Fleming distinctly low on options ahead of Thursday's third Test at Trent Bridge.

"We've got a lot of concerns," he conceded. "Just getting 11 fit guys onto the pitch is going to be a challenge. Obviously it's a Test match, so we want to win, but we need to decide whether to stick a few youngsters in for some experience of English conditions, or whether to persist with the guys we have, and suck what we can out of the match."

Such concerns could not have been further from Michael Vaughan's thoughts. He now returns home to Sheffield with a series victory in the bag, where he can now spend a couple of nights perfecting his nappy-changing technique. But before he left, he had time to single out the contributions of Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff.

"Marcus was magnificent throughout the match," said Vaughan. "I thought his first-innings hundred was the best I've ever seen him hit the ball. It was an unbelievable knock on a difficult wicket, in a match where both sides had to dig in. And his one-handed catch yesterday evening changed the game."

That period on the fourth evening, when four New Zealand wickets fell for 19 runs was the defining session of the Test. "Matches at Leeds are always fascinating," said Vaughan. "You have to play the conditions, which can change by the hour, and we knew there would be a stage when all those deliveries that had been beating the bat would start to go to hand."

The man who made England's first incision that evening was Andrew Flintoff. "Freddie is maturing into a really, really good cricketer," said Vaughan. "He has a huge influence when he bats, bowls and fields, and he can only get better. It is a frightening prospect where he could end up if he keeps up his commitment and work-rate - he really is that good. I am very fortunate to have him in my team.

"Over the past six months, we've developed the nucleus of a good squad," added Vaughan. "Team spirit plays a crucial part, but we are all jovial characters anyway. What really matters is the mental spirit we've now got. We fully expected to win the game, even when we were chasing 400 in the first innings. If losing is a habit, then winning is most definitely a habit as well."

"I don't know why it is, but the team seems to be working on its own at the moment, and that makes my job much easier. I'm lucky to be the captain of a good bunch of lads, who work hard and have a hell of a lot of talent as well. It's exciting times, but we've got to keep level-headed, because there will always be the odd day when things don't go well. We'll just aim to keep progressing as we have done."