After years of struggling and false dawns, England, under captain Michael Vaughan, completed 2004 with a seven wickets win over South Africa which established a new record of eight successive victories.
That record came at the end of a period which saw England win 11 out of 12 Test matches, the first time for 75 years they have done this.
England recorded four Test series wins in succession, beating the West Indies (twice), New Zealand and South Africa. They also reached the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy, beating Australia en route to the final, which they lost to West Indies.
All four of England’s leading bowlers, Harmison, Giles, Flintoff and Hoggard have appeared in the World Ranking top twenty at various moments throughout the year, and over the year the batsmen have all contributed runs.
