The win was England's first in a Test since they beat West Indies at the Riverside in June 2007 and keeps alive their hopes of a first overseas Test series triumph since overcoming South Africa in 2005.

Michael Vaughan's men will travel to Napier for the third and final Test on 22 March in high spirits after a performance that, but for their woeful fielding on day four, was in stark contrast to that at Hamilton.

They began in determined fashion and effectively ended any Kiwi hopes of a world-record victory chase in the second over.

Vettori was snapped up by Alastair Cook at third slip for a seven-ball duck off Sidebottom to open the door for England.

Following a six-year absence, the Nottinghamshire paceman returned to the Test side in the summer of 2007 and has already become England's most prolific and consistent fast bowling option.

Mills brought up the 250 for New Zealand with a beautiful drive past point for four and McCullum sealed his eighth Test 50 with an unconvincing cut that bounced over the slips for four.

But Sidebottom and Stuart Broad were generating some blistering pace and movement on a warm Wellington morning and the former completed his five-for by trapping in front with a ball that swung into the right-hander's pads.

Gillespie held up the tourists with a display of dogged resistance but England should have removed McCullum when Andrew Strauss dropped him off Anderson at first slip.

That was their fifth dropped catch of the innings but Strauss's blushes were soon spared.