Daniel Vettori savoured the highlight of his 78-test career in the aftermath of New Zealand's crushing 189-run victory on Seddon Park yesterday.
While ashen-faced English captain Michael Vaughan pondered the lowest point of his captaincy, Vettori described New Zealand's comprehensive triumph - just its eighth in 78 years of rivalry with England - as easily the most satisfying of his 11-year career.
His side's aggressive intent was appropriately rewarded with a 1-0 series lead.
‘‘The way we've played test cricket over the last few years, we haven't played that well so to put in a complete performance over five days . . . it's something we haven't done that well,'' Vettori, the New Zealand captain, said.
‘‘To step up . . . against a very good England team and win is probably the most satisfying win over the long time I've played.''
The series continues in Wellington on Thursday - an encounter England must win to force a decider in Napier on March 22.
England had arrived confident of winning the test rubber and stopping the rot caused by successive losses to India and Sri Lanka, but its creaky confidence sustained another hammer blow after it was totally out-classed yesterday.
It was a New Zealand side blessed with new-found self-belief following its own pre-Christmas disaster in South Africa.
New Zealand, which played with aggressive intent once Vettori won the toss, set England an ambitious 300 to win early on the final morning.
After nine runs were taken from the first over, the challenge disintegrated as Kyle Mills and Chris Martin combined to cause two massive ruptures before England's chase fizzled out before tea on 110.
Mills, who recorded career-best figures of four for 16, had England limping to lunch at 36 for four minus Alastair Cook, Vaughan, Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen.
Martin (three for 33) then ripped into the middle order with a brace in the first over of his second spell, an incision that left England beyond hope at 60 for seven.
Ian Bell (54 not out) and Monty Panesar (eight) hung around to add 33 for the 10th wicket - the most substantial stand of the innings - before Jacob Oram initiated mass celebrations when Panesar became Brendon McCullum's fifth victim behind the stumps.
England was 26 overs from batting out the contest and at one point was in danger of making fewer than 64, its lowest score against New Zealand (achieved in 1978 at the Basin Reserve).
England was spared that indignity, though it was little consolation for Vaughan, whose five-year tenure has spiralled downwards since the Ashes were regained from Australia in 2005.
‘‘I guess this is my lowest point as England captain,'' he said.
England's away record now contains a solitary win from its last 17 tests.
Vaughan said his side arrived at the ground yesterday confident of batting well in its second innings after Ryan Sidebottom's hat trick on Saturday afternoon gave the side some momentum.
Its chance came seven overs into the day when Vettori declared New Zealand's second innings closed at 177 for nine after 30 runs were added briskly.
However, England never threatened to meet the requirement of 3.7 runs per over.
‘‘Getting bowled out for 110 with the talent we've got in that batting unit is unacceptable,'' Vaughan said.
Vettori was supremely confident his bowlers could run through a batting order that put together a painstaking first innings of 348.
‘‘We obviously envisaged winning the game and we'd be very disappointed if we weren't in the position we are now,'' he said.
Vettori was named man of the match on the basis of his combined 123 runs with the bat and 38 overs of toil during England's first innings.
However, he was quick to praise Mills and Martin.
‘‘They bowled superbly . . . anytime you get a team four for 30 and take the four best batsmen out, it makes a huge difference,'' he said.
‘‘Looking back on it, every day we won the key situations.''
Even Sidebottom's triple strike, which contributed to a match analysis of 10 for 139 and career-best figures of six for 59, could not shake Vettori's belief.
‘‘The way he bowled was fantastic but we came into the shed last night knowing 270-280 would be enough. There was only going to be two results - a win or a draw.''
- New Zealand will maintain the same 13 for the second test starting in Wellington on Thursday.
Mark Gillespie and Grant Elliott, who were released to play for Wellington in the State Championship domestic competition, will rejoin the squad today.
Iain O'Brien, who has an injured toe, is still unavailable.
