This was arguably England's best day of an unrelentingly traumatic Australian summer, in part because it offered confirmation that even in defeat on this one-day leg they have been making some good decisions, perhaps even showing a flexibility that was absent during the unyielding paralysis of the Test series.
Jake Ball, the Nottinghamshire seamer, will provide cover for Anderson after being asked to stay on after the one-day leg of the tour.
England's next game is on Sunday in Canberra, the start of the one-day leg of the tour.
Vaughan had to miss the first Test because of a knee injury and may not return for the one-day leg of this tour once he receives expert advice on his long-standing cartilage problem after flying back to England for the birth of his second child at the conclusion of this Test.
He did refer to "maturity", as well as the discipline for which he credits Candice Falzon, the glamorous ironwoman with whom he hooked up in Sydney after being dropped from the one-day leg of Australia's Ashes tour.
Wood spent much of the winter battling back from heel and ankle injuries with the Lions and was not considered for senior selection until the one-day leg of the tour, which began with a five-wicket victory against a Cricket Australia XI at Sydney's Drummoyne Oval yesterday.
Croft, 45, who will join England's coaching staff for the one-day leg of their tour to South Africa, is viewed as a leading contender for the role.
In some families, college prep has even trickled down to elementary school, with parents specializing children as young as six in sports and private tutoring, hoping for an edge that could one day lead to a leg up in the competitive admissions process.
He returned to full fitness only on the one-day leg of England's tour to the United Arab Emirates, playing a full role – he took eight wickets at a cost of under 20 – as the tourists beat Pakistan 3-1.
Rembert worked out one day, suffered a leg injury, sat out the last two days and then didn't return for the passing camp the next week.
"I do this at 200 pounds 40 times for three sets," he says one day at the leg press, diffidently.
