Team director Andy Flower was happy to reflect on the array of positive performances that helped England to a 247-run victory over New Zealand at Headingley and completed a 2-0 Investec Test series whitewash.
Several question marks surrounding England ahead of the second and final encounter were put to rest as Alastair Cook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Steven Finn and Graeme Swann, in particular, impressed.
Some felt there was added pressure on Finn with the fit-again Tim Bresnan also vying for a place, yet he bowled impressively - at pace - in Leeds, while Swann showed he was back to his best following elbow surgery when claiming career-best match figures.
In the batting department, Root continued his astonishing recent rise with a maiden Test century, Cook struck his 25th in the second innings and Bairstow contributed 64 and 26 not out.
“This was a really good performance with a lot of good things coming out of it,” Flower told ecb.co.uk.“Cook scoring another important hundred, the two young Yorkshire boys (Root and Bairstow) batting together and putting on a partnership of 130 or so, Swann getting back into form and his elbow coming through well and Finn showing that he’s improved since the first Test.
“These are all excellent things for us so it’s been a really good match for us. It’s really satisfying to win the series 2-0; New Zealand are no pushovers as we found in New Zealand (when the series was drawn 0-0).”
While Swann picked up the match award, it was 22-year-old Root, pictured, who was voted man of the series; his 243 runs over the two matches took his first-class tally this summer to 889 in just eight innings.
Flower has been understandably impressed with the youngster’s temperament.
“His decision-making in the middle has been outstanding since he was first given the chance to play international cricket,” enthused Flower. “He has not only handled it very well, but he’s really enjoyed it - which is nice to see.
“Of course, there are going to be tough times for him in the future but he has handled it brilliantly so far and those are great signs.”
Flower took particular satisfaction from the evening session on day two, effectively the first after the opening act was washed out, when Bairstow and Root put England in command in front of a partisan home crowd.
Flower said: “Wasn’t it great seeing those two Yorkshire youngsters bat together? The crowd were sensational and they really showed their appreciation when they both got to 50 and Root got to his hundred; and it was great to see Jonny Bairstow really, genuinely happy for Joe when he scored his hundred.”
England’s focus now immediately shifts to 50-over competition, with the one-day international series that precedes the much-anticipated Champions Trophy beginning at Lord’s on Friday.
Those challenges come before Flower retakes the reins from limited-overs coach Ashley Giles for the Ashes series - which gets under way on July 10.
“It is a pity that there’s not a week off and another Test match now; I think we’d be hitting our straps,” admitted Flower . “But we shift our focus to the one-day series now, which is the lead-in to the Champions Trophy.”