Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer insisted England could mount a successful defence of the Ashes after they crushed his side by 167 runs here at Headingley. England's victory left them 2-0 up in the four-match series, with just the final Test later this month at The Oval to come, and was their first Test campaign triumph since they regained the Ashes last year.
And this series win was achieved without star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, the man England hope will captain them in Australia later this year, who scored 402 runs and took 24 wickets against Ricky Ponting's side in 2005. "If they can get Andrew Flintoff back and keep their bowlers fit they've got a reasonable chance," said Woolmer.
"Australia are very difficult to beat at home but England will take a lot of positives out of these last two games," added the former England all-rounder, whose side hadn't previously lost a Test series since going down 3-0 to Australia in 2004/05.
England captain Andrew Strauss, leading the team in the absence of both Flintoff (ankle) and victorious Ashes skipper Michael Vaughan (knee), said it was vital the side had enjoyed a win well before the first Test against Australia at Brisbane on November 23.
"It's very important to get back to winning ways," said the opening batsman, who scored 116 in England's second innings. "We've played some very good Test cricket since the last Ashes series, but we probably haven't done it as consistently as we'd have liked.
"Success breeds success and hopefully we can go out and do it again at The Oval and we'll be in a very good position to look forward to the Ashes," added Strauss, aiming to be a member of the first England side in 20 years to win a Test series in Australia, England made 515 in their first innings although Kevin Pietersen, who went on to make 135, led a charmed life by surviving an appeal for a catch on two, being caught off a no-ball on 29 and dropped on 104.
Ian Bell stroked an elegant 119, his third hundred in as many Tests, although Australians who remember him making just 171 runs in 10 Ashes innings last year may need more convincing of the Warwickshire batsman's ability.
In reply Pakistan posted 538, a tribute to the Headingley pitch, some insipid pace bowling and a mammoth stand of 363 between Mohammad Yousuf (192) and Younis Khan (173), their country's best for any wicket against England.
Fallibe Pakistan fielding, with wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal dropping two sitters off Marcus Trescothick when the opener, who went on to make 58, was in single figures, helped the hosts to 345 in their second innings with Strauss scoring 116 - his 10th hundred in only 30 Tests.
"If we'd got Marcus Trescothick out early and reduced that opening partnership to 20 we might well have been chasing 180," said a rueful Woolmer. Instead Pakistan had to chase 323 on the final day. By lunch they'd collapsed to 84 for five, Yousuf run out for eight by Paul Collingwood, and were eventually bowled out for 155.
"Yousuf and Younis are a wonderful pair at running between the wickets," said Woolmer. "But the run-out by Collingwood was fantastic. He got there quickly, he did everything right and hit the stumps.
"England played better than us and we made too many mistakes." Fast bowler Sajid Mahmood, the son of Pakistani immigrants, took a Test-best four for 22.
Meanwhile Woolmer urged everyone involved with Pakistan cricket to hold their nerve. "The team that we have here has done well over the last 18 months, two years and I think it's important we remember that. "Losing a cricket match or a series is not the end of the world."