Seven days ago England were rubbish. Now they're unstoppable. It's a hazardous business drawing conclusions from a swings-and-roundabouts one-day series, but the truth is that England lie somewhere in between. On today's evidence there's plenty to get excited about – and just as much to work on. First the positives. Andrew Flintoff bowled like a dream and is well on the way to becoming a batsman's nightmare. The showers spiced up the wicket for him, but his increasing mastery of length (or just back of it) has been England's most precious discovery of the winter. He was the third England player to take a four-for in the series, but the second change bowler: England are keeping up the pressure even after the opening attack is rested.

Then there was Michael Vaughan. The man they call Virgil played a mini-epic, driving on the up, slashing over gully, even pulling for six, and making an on-song Graham Thorpe look unadventurous by comparison. If his 63 at Cuttack was all about working the ball around, this one showed off his full repertoire. And it was all done in the knowledge that Owais Shah was waiting in the wings. There are only two problems. His long list of injuries got even longer when he injured his right shoulder in the field (a scan awaits him on Monday). And he found yet another ridiculous way to get himself out. For someone who's supposed to have a cool temperament, Vaughan has too many rushes of blood.

Thorpe was outstanding too. After going 10 innings without a one-day fifty, he has now made two in succession, and reasserted himself as the backbone of an England innings. His country needs him.

Now for the negatives. The fielding ranged from the spectacular – notably Darren Gough's athletic catch at third man to get rid of Nathan Astle – to the spectacularly poor. If Hussain's failure to pick out Stephen Fleming's slog against a dark sky was just about excusable, other errors were not. Paul Collingwood spilled Craig McMillan at third man, and Marcus Trescothick dropped a much easier chance behind the stumps (if England persist with him as wicketkeeper, he's going to cost them a match sooner or later). And Nick Knight could only get his wrists to an edge at slip when Chris Cairns had 1. Half an hour later, Cairns was threatening to make England pay, and at some point a better side than New Zealand will.

Hussain seemed to let media criticism of his innings at Napier get to him and played Russian roulette with the bowlers before umpire Hill pulled the trigger. He seems unsure at the moment whether to drop anchor or throw caution to the wind, and the results are frantic.

The late-order hitting of Cairns and Adams also reminded England that they lack a matchwinner down the order. Once Flintoff is out, there is no-one left who hits sixes. From 86 for 6, New Zealand still gave England a fright. At Wellington, England's 89 for 7 became 89 all out. Ben Hollioake for Craig White, who averages 12, could be the answer.

But these are minor details; England are on a roll. They have now won 10 of their last 15 games – five of them in Zimbabwe, admittedly, but all 15 away from home – and are proving adept at coming from behind. They won their own private quarter-final on Wednesday, and they won the semi today. Now they have to win the final in Dunedin. You wouldn't bet against them.

Lawrence Booth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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