Sidebottom steers England to series win

England 364 beat New Zealand 123 and 232 by an innings and nine runs

Ryan Sidebottom ripped through the New Zealand tail to ease England to an innings and nine runs victory in the final Test, securing a 2-0 series win.

The swing bowler claimed four wickets in a 19-ball spell on the fourth morning at Trent Bridge although, fittingly, it was James Anderson who finished things off when he had last man Chris Martin caught in the slips - his ninth victim of the match.

The giant left-hander slammed six fours and two towering sixes, the second of which off Anderson put him one run short of his landmark.

He got there next ball but it left Martin on strike and Anderson found the outside edge at the first opportunity for Paul Collingwood to take his second slip catch of the morning.

England claimed five wickets for 35 in all, in a manic 40-ball spell, to claim a 2-0 npower series victory.

Oram's overnight partner, Gareth Hopkins, succumbed to a delivery angled across him in the sixth over of the day.

It was a dismissal which began a sequence of four catches from edges for Sidebottom at a cost of five runs.

England's catching was impeccable with Strauss and Pietersen clutching chances offered by a flimsy Kiwi tail.

Anderson now has his sights set on a long international career after he was named man of the match following his nine-wicket haul.

The Lancashire bowler has been described as mercurial in the past, something he accepted, saying: "I have been in the past so it's fair but it's something I am looking to improve and go in the right direction." Asked if he was looking for a lengthy England career, he added: "I hope so."

Anderson paid tribute to Ryan Sidebottom who claimed seven wickets. "Ryan has had a great 18 months and it was about time someone helped him out a bit and luckily this time it was me," he added.

Michael Vaughan, the England captain, was delighted with the way Anderson and Sidebottom responded to conditions which were made for traditional English swing bowling, and is already looking forward to the arrival of South Africa.

"We've got better as the series has gone on," Vaughan said. "The first two Tests were hard fought and we sneaked a very close contest at Old Trafford."

"At 86 for five in this game I never envisaged winning by an innings but credit to Kevin Pietersen and Tim Ambrose for their partnership and to Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson who bowled so well.

"We knew it was going to swing here but you need to have the skills to make it happen. They [Sidebottom and Anderson] will be the first to admit they got conditions to suit them but they had the skill. The pace has been very good this week and some of the deliveries New Zealand have had to face were exceptional.

"We know we are a developing team with some way to go but we are looking forward to the South Africa leg of the summer."

Vaughan's opposite number Daniel Vettori, who was named his side's man of the series, admitted his side were well beaten.

"If we look back we were thoroughly outplayed from the start. Apart from two sessions of bowling we were second best," he said.

"Our batting didn't really stand up to some very good bowling. But we have to recognise how well England played."