England captain Michael Vaughan insisted his side could "go as far as it wants to " after seeing them come agonisingly close to taking a 2-1 Ashes series lead. Only a tenth wicket stand lasting four overs between Australia's Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath denied England victory at Old Trafford on Monday's final day of the third Test.
Australia, chasing what would have been a world record 423, finished on 371 for nine after captain Ricky Ponting kept England at bay with a superb seven hour 156, the tourists' skipper scoring his team's first century of the series.
"We were one wicket away from going 2-1 up and a lot of people will say 'you must be disappointed'," said Vaughan, who himself made 166 in England's first innings, at a post-match news conference.
"But I'm very proud of the way the team have responded to going 1-0 down at Lord's (where England lost the series opener by 239 runs last month)," he added. "Three weeks ago we were written off, we were out of the contest, 5-0 I kept on hearing. It's now 1-1 with two to play."
"The team and individuals have shown a lot of character" insisted the Yorkshire batsman, whose side levelled the series at 1-1 after a two-run win at Edgbaston, the closest in Ashes history, just over a week ago. "We've got nine days to rest our bodies and minds. We will arrive next week at Trent Bridge fully focused and hoping to go 2-1 up there."
With the likes of 23-year-old Ian Bell scoring two fifties at Old Trafford and all of England's pace attack aged under 30, Vaughan said the future for England - now ranked number two in the world to Australia's number one - was a bright one. "I think this England team can go as far as it wants to. We've shown, in the last two weeks, we've got a lot of character, a lot of ability and a lot of young players in the team which only bodes well for future."
Looking back on the game's dramatic climax, Vaughan insisted he'd never got too far ahead of himself.
"You can never think you've done it against Australia. There was a time when we took the ninth wicket and you've got four overs to go and you think you've got an opportunity. But those two (Lee and McGrath) hung in very well.
"I think we really used our resources well this week on this wicket, both with batting and bowling.
"We've been talking about psychological advantages and disadvantages all summer. We can take a lot out of this game. We've dominated four days of Test cricket against the number one team in the world.
"I don't think we lost any sessions."
Vaughan singled out reverse-swing specialist Simon Jones for special praise after the Glamorgan quick, who had to go off late Monday with cramp, had rocked Australia with his Test-best figures in their first innings. "His bowling come on leaps and bounds since the Bangladesh series this season. To get six for 53 against the Aussies is a great effort."
English cricket fans, often feeling overwhelmed by football's dominance, have been starved of success against Australia with the men in baggy green caps winning the last eight Ashes series.
But on Monday, owners Lancashire had to turn away some 10,000 spectators so quickly was Old Trafford's 23,000 capacity reached. "I couldn't believe how many people were outside the ground," said Vaughan, several of whose team-mates arrived late after getting caught up in the throng. "It's fantastic. It does show a respect for the two teams who are playing out there. They are playing good cricket, it's great entertainment and the nation's talking about it.
"I really do hope the final two games are as good as the last two because I think the series deserves that.
"Trent Bridge should be another classic, turn up."