Why England can take pride in their renaissance year

For England, a moment to savour among all others in 2000 was Dominic Cork's pull into the Grandstand for six in the hundredth Test Match at Lord's in July. That one shot spoke volumes about the resurgent side: "it may be tight, but this time, we're hitting back."

And boy, it was tight. England, 1-0 down against the West Indies after losing by an innings at Edgbaston. 162 for 8, still needing 26 for victory. I swear that no one who was there will forget it. Franklyn Rose was the bowler, and Cork only had Andy Caddick and Darren Gough left to keep him company. A generation of youngsters will remember that six when they're grandparents.

OK, England had polished off Zimbabwe at Lord's earlier in the summer, but they'd been given an alarm call at Trent Bridge. If Cork had failed here, they'd probably have gone 2-0 down against a side whose recent record abroad was, and still is lamentable. Where would the summer have gone then?

So let's not get carried away. Better to stick with Nasser's maxim in Pakistan: "we've come to compete." England don't have the batting they could boast in the fifties, but they have tenacity in Atherton, promise in Trescothick, class in Thorpe and leadership in Hussain. Bowlers will one day suffer for Hussain's run famine, and England will be the stronger for it.

Add an emergent all-rounder in White to join the evergreen Stewart, and you begin to see the balance that England have craved since Botham. The irony is that Cork, an automatic selection after that Lord's knock, could struggle to reclaim his place next summer. Giles' arrival has extended the options, and Gough and Caddick still demand respect.

The crux of it is that England are a team. Pakistan were surprised by England's spirit there, and the home team's policy - snare them with spin - was bankrupt at the death. After all that was said and written before the tour, this victory was truly stirring - and must have boosted confidence for Sri Lanka. And no, they won't get carried away, because Duncan Fletcher won't let them.

So they can reflect around their Christmas trees on a year which has lifted a burden from the hearts of their supporters. The fast-descending winter gloom can remind them of an evening far away in Karachi which was the backcloth to England's Asian glory. And yes, Dominic Cork should savour that six.