Mid-table mediocrity is a description that could have been applied to any England team of the past two decades — a brief interlude from 2003 to 2005 notwithstanding — and it is a description that applies now. Losing in the Caribbean means that England drop to No 6 in the ICC Test rankings, a position that accurately reflects their capabilities, at the same time as Australia underlined the dynamic nature of their system by trouncing South Africa and retaining top spot.

The first stage in solving problems is to recognise them and England must stop kidding themselves that they are one of the best teams in the world. Self-confidence is fine; self-delusion is damaging and no set of players is more deluded than England’s, demanding as they do the levels of pay and pampering of top dogs while performing like mongrels.

As welcome as it was to witness a performance by West Indies that exhibited all the basic qualities expected of an international team — namely spirit, commitment and a competitive instinct — England were beaten by a modest side. Possibly they were guilty at the start of the series of having half an eye on the Ashes, and other distractions, rather than their opponents here, but it was an oversight quickly remedied in the two hours it took Jerome Taylor to blow them away in the first Test in Jamaica.

After that, as much as they huffed and puffed, England were not good enough to blow the house down. Two things were fundamental to that failure: an inherently cautious attitude, born of a team not used to winning and unsure of themselves, and a bowling attack that is worthy in its endeavours but lacks the magic ingredients to dismiss good players on good pitches. Three overseas Test-match wins in four years is testament to that.

Stuart Broad and James Anderson did more than enough to suggest that they will be part of England’s summer attack and Andrew Flintoff’s return will be welcomed. But who will fill the fourth seam-bowling place? Stephen Harmison will have his supporters, blinded no doubt by what happened in his absence, but for too long he has lived on past glories. Will Simon Jones be fit enough to stake a claim? If not, the search will go on for someone able to provide both cutting edge and, or, leadership.

Drawing a blank in Test cricket this winter highlighted, more than anything, the essential conservatism at the heart of the team. Three times opponents were at their mercy — India in Madras (Chennai), West Indies in Antigua and Trinidad — but three times the noose was loosened. In Madras, remember how, after lunch on the fourth day, England’s batsmen inexplicably stalled when 300 runs to the good and seven wickets in hand? That was the prelude to Virender Sehwag’s fireworks. The smell of fear was apparent, something Sehwag seized upon as surely as he seized upon the short, wide offerings that followed.

Then, in Antigua, 300 on, two days left and a Test match to win, England sent out a nightwatchman on the third evening, the precursor to the second-innings crawl and delayed declaration that cost them valuable time. And in Trinidad Andrew Strauss said that he would be prepared to lose to win, but his declaration offered West Indies no more of a sniff of victory than it did in Antigua.

While dropped catches and extras cost England more time than the three overs they would have gained by declaring earlier, again it demonstrated an inherently cautious attitude. But any criticism of Strauss should be tempered by the knowledge that he came into the job at the start of the tour in difficult circumstances and, these quibbles aside, he has led superbly. Not the least of his triumphs has been his form, which has been better than at any time in his England career, save perhaps in South Africa in 2004-05. The one-day series to follow will test this aspect of his game more vigorously.

Given a steady lead by Strauss and the sprinkling of stardust that Kevin Pietersen provides, the batting is the least of England’s worries. But there is a gaping hole at No 3, a key position. Ian Bell did not dominate there as those at first drop should, nor has Owais Shah, whose running is indifferent and who offers little to nothing in the field.

The impression given is that the selectors are desperate for Bell to make a success of the position, but all eyes at the start of the summer will turn to Headingley Carnegie, where Michael Vaughan is said to be gearing up for the summer with more enthusiasm than a skittish colt.

Australia are coming, but England would do well to remember that they have two Test matches against West Indies before then. One small step at a time.