One-day cricket is geared towards batsmen but it was England's frontline bowlers who put the side back in the series. Although New Zealand recovered from being 95 for 6 their total of 234 for 9 was still below par and but for a poor decision by umpire Asad Rauf when Ian Bell was set, the victory would have been more comfortable.

Paul Collingwood effectively acknowledged that batting is currently the weaker suit by deciding to bowl first. Chasing a target always gives context to a reply. England have been poor at assessing pitches and gauging what is needed to be competitive. This time Collingwood took that decision out of their hands.

The frontline bowlers were unrecognisable from the indisciplined shambles that fed Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum a diet of long hops at Hamilton three days ago. They used the short-pitched ball intelligently, bouncing out McCullum in the second over, and generally sought to keep a more effective, fuller length.

James Anderson justified the faith shown in him, Ryan Sidebottom was in his eighth over before even threatening to blow a gasket and Stuart Broad joined the attack to immediate effect with wickets in his first and third overs. His first spell of seven overs cost only 12 runs, despite bowling during the powerplays.

In Broad, England now have a successor to Andrew Flintoff as a first-change bowler who can maintain the pressure created by the new ball. His strike rate of a wicket every 33.8 balls is the second best by any England one-day bowler to have claimed more than 30 victims. Only Flintoff can better that record.

If the all-rounder recovers from his fourth ankle operation and returns to the side at number six or seven then the attack will have real depth. As it was, Jacob Oram, with his fourth half-century in five one-day innings against England, was able to expose the weaker options available to Collingwood on a good pitch.

New Zealand will announce their squad for the remaining two matches tomorrow but there is a doubt over the podgy Ryder, who sprained his left ankle while batting and limped out of the ground after close. England must still win the remaining games in Napier and Christchurch, but the worst is surely behind them.