It takes a lot to silence the Mumbai crowd, but dismissing Sachin Tendulkar early on is a good start. Going on to beat India in a high-scoring thriller helps too. But what really shut the locals up was the sight of Andy Flintoff celebrating Ryan Giggs-style, whirling his shirt above his head and exposing a tanless torso. Flintoff had good reason to celebrate. This was his best allround performance for England – 40 rumbustious runs when they were sorely needed, three late wickets, and an important run-out. It was his most mature performance in an England shirt too (if not quite so mature out of it). Not long ago Nasser Hussain might have thought twice before entrusting him with the final over. Today Flintoff rose to that challenge magnificently, zeroing what turned out to be the last ball into Javagal Srinath's stumps despite his dervish dance across the crease.

England have been waiting for Flintoff to ink himself in to a one-day allrounder's spot for more than three years now. Problems with back, brain and beer have held him up, but he's primed for the World Cup now.

Flintoff had to rescue a disappointing batting performance from England, whose run-chart resembled a wavy line – good start, dip, handy end – rather than the typical Nike swoosh – explosive start, regroup, rise. When Trescothick and Hussain were hurtling along, 300-plus seemed likely, but after Harbhajan Singh's 4 for 2, 225 looked optimistic. Flintoff lifted England to 255, which proved to be just enough.

Michael Vaughan's bowling was another plus. Looping his offspin down on a tight line, he reeled in his first wickets in any sort of England shirt. At last, Nasser might have discovered a reliable spare bowler who can fill in if one of the front-line men is having an off day – Vaughan whisked through his full ten-over ration here, and conceded just 37 runs, fewer than anyone else all day.

And as Flintoff swaggered and Vaughan pressured, India's tail self-destructed rather as England's middle order did throughout the series. At 3-3, board treasurers in England and India must now be wishing that Jagmohan Dalmiya had stuck to his demand that there should be seven matches, rather than the original five. It wouldn't have taken long to sell out a decider in Delhi.

Steven Lynch is database director of Wisden.com.

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