Given the fine line England have trodden between success and failure over the last few months, during their elongated head-to-head with New Zealand, they wrapped up the series with deceptive ease on the fourth day at Trent Bridge
Sidebottom takes a stump in delight, England have killed off the game quickly this morning and they wait to allow Anderson to walk off the pitch first. England have shown an impressive finishing instinct today, Sidebottom leading the bowling to end with 6 for 67, while Anderson and Broad took two each this innings. So, England wrap up the series 2-0 and while their cricket has been less than convincing at lots of times, this win has been largely emphatic, although questions still remain over the form of Bell and Collingwood who got ducks in the first innings and didn't have the chance to make amends in the second. They will look to the one-day series now. New Zealand have plenty of question marks from this effort.
The presentations now and England are cheered with gusto. The Man of the Match is James Anderson and he gets loud applause. "It was great conditions for all three of us," he says of the first innings. "Just managed to get the ball in the right areas and they managed to miss it, so it was nice." He admits he has been mercurial and inconsistent in the past but is trying to put things right now.
England's Man of the Series, nominated by John Bracewell, is Andrew Strauss. "I spent about 12 months not knowing where my next run was coming from, so it was nice to turn it around. It's done a little bit all the way through all three games, but our bowlers have worked as a really good unit and this is as much for them as me. Just nice to return to form, feeling really happy at the crease, and it's good to see England winning as well."
New Zealand's Man of the Series, adjudged by Peter Moores, is Daniel Vettori. "If we look back on this performance here we were thoroughly outplayed. It's been real tough going." He doesn't regret bowling, first though. "Unfortunately our batting didn't stand up to the task."
What have the young players taken from this series? "They've learned how hard Test cricket is. It's five days of tough cricket and you have to perform for five days." And will they be looking forward to the one-dayers now? "That's our speciality at the moment. It's hard to just pass by what we've done in the Test match game but we have to turn it round pretty quickly."
And now the victorious captain, Michael Vaughan. How pleased is he overall? "Very pleased, I think we've got better as the series has gone on. We managed to sneak a close contest at Old Trafford. We always knew it was going to swing here and all our bowlers managed to do that [put the pressure on] this week.
"The pacers were very good this week. We know we're a developing team, we have a long way to go before we're the real deal, so to speak."
Cue much champagne throwing as Vaughan lifts the trophy for the photo opportunities. It's a very happy England on the stage but, as Vaughan just mentioned, they're not quite the real deal yet although they can be proud of their efforts - particularly this morning.
Many thanks indeed for joining us this Test. Do come back for the one-dayers which kick off next Sunday in Durham, preceded by the Twenty20 on Friday at Old Trafford. Till then, goodbye.
CS Martin c Collingwood b Anderson 0 (3m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
But the single has exposed Martin
England may yet have to bat again, Oram in the mood to stand and deliver
"His best shot of the series!" smiles Gnasher. Good catch from Collingwood by the way, had to react sharply and low
Martin to the crease (slaughter?) now
Sidebottom's got 6 for 67 on it now and somewhere there's a wall with some writing on it. New Zealand still trail by 16 runs
IE O'Brien c Collingwood b Sidebottom 4 (4m 4b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100.00
New Zealand's middle-order batsman reflects on a bad week for his team
Over the last 11 months James Anderson has been in excellent form, but he still hasn't solved the puzzle of how to bowl to left-hand batsmen
The manner in which England sealed their second successive seriesvictory over New Zealand at Trent Bridge was nothing less thanemphatic
In what was his last innings of the series, a rearguard 71 from Brendon McCullum almost gave New Zealand the belief of producing the unthinkable against England, on the third day of the final Test at Trent Bridge
Given the fine line England have trodden between success and failure over the last few months, during their elongated head-to-head with New Zealand, they wrapped up the series with deceptive ease on the fourth day at Trent Bridge
