It's time for England to step up and show their superiority against New Zealand

They have repeatedly tried to suggest they are an improving team, that only injuries have disrupted their momentum since that glorious day at the Oval in 2005 when they defeated Australia and seemed, with a young side, to be on the brink of conquering the cricket world. But it does not wash now.

The statistics do not make for pretty reading. Only two Test series out of eight since the mirage of the Ashes victory have been won as England have tumbled from second to to fifth in the ICC rankings. Only one overseas Test in the last 15 has been won.

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Yet that run will surely be broken as they embark on a series against a team to whom they should be superior in virtually every department.

Michael Vaughan, who missed much of England's post-Ashes decline through injury but who was at the helm for the series defeats against India and Sri Lanka, is a shrewd enough cookie to know that his position and that of fledgling coach Peter Moores would be thoroughly scrutinised if the Test series goes the way of the one-day matches, which New Zealand won 3-1.

"If we don't start producing as a unit now questions will be asked," said Vaughan. "Our position in the rankings is where we're at. We can't go back and change those results. So we have to make sure we start again. This is a new beginning.

"I don't think there's a day when you are not under pressure as an England captain and I don't feel under any extra pressure now, but I think the team realise we need to start playing good cricket. Winning this series is very important for the development of this side and then after that we need to sustain good form for the whole of next summer."

It was a candid assessment and one that recognises the very minimum that England should achieve. The one-day series was, in truth, a very poor effort by England who had their opponents on the rack after beating them in the two Twenty20 matches that began this tour only to let them wriggle free.

They cannot allow this nation of sporting over-achievers to do the same now at a time when the Indian leagues are decimating the already meagre resources at their disposal.

Only in the spin department - where Daniel Vettori has the edge over Monty Panesar simply through his experience - and in the wicketkeeping where the explosive talents of Brendon McCullum must surely overshadow debutant Tim Ambrose, can New Zealand claim anything like superiority.

Otherwise their top order pales into insignificance compared to England's and their pace attack have the look of pie throwers who should not be fit to lace the boots of Messrs Hoggard, Sidebottom and Harmison, even if the latter's radar is wonky.

The best way for England to exert their apparent dominance would be for them to post big top order runs on a Hamilton wicket that looks an absolute belter and one that captain Vettori is strongly considering playing two spinners on, promoting Jeetan Patel at the expense of Iain O'Brien.

This is the best opportunity that Kevin Pietersen, Vaughan, Alastair Cook and the two centurions in the warm-up in frozen Dunedin, Andrew Strauss, who returns to the England side at three here, and Ian Bell, who moves to five, will ever have to score big centuries.

It is a knack that has been beyond all bar Pietersen, who hit a double century against the West Indies at Headingley last summer, but only Paul Collingwood, who appears distracted both by the arrival of a baby he has not yet seen and his demotion to six in the order, is giving cause for concern here.

"We have talked about the need to get hundreds and in Test cricket they have to be 150s and 200s," said Vaughan. "We know we haven't done that as a batting unit but there's no reason why we can't do that now with a very talented group of batters. There's a real hunger about our batsmen to put that right."

And put it right they surely must. New Zealand have only played four Tests since 2006, being thoroughly outplayed by South Africa when they looked highly nervous against pace but easily beating Bangladesh in a two-match series that proved little.

They are a mediocre Test side who have been ruffled by the Indian Premier League riches that have been made available to three of their number - Vettori, McCullum and Jacob Oram. England's moment is now. They must not fail.

New Zealand (probable): Bell, How, Fleming, Taylor, Sinclair, Oram, McCullum (keeper), Vettori (captain), Patel, Mills, Martin.

England (probable): Cook, Vaughan (captain), Strauss, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Ambrose (keeper), Sidebottom, Hoggard, Harmison, Panesar.

Umpires: Daryl Harper and Steve Davies (both Australia).

Referee: Javagal Srinath (India).

TV: Sky Sports from 9pm Tuesday night, play starts at 9.30pm.

• Sidebottom is fit to face New Zealand - and his mentor Stephen Fleming - in the opening Test on Wednesday in Hamilton.

Seamer Sidebottom says he is over a torn right hamstring while all-rounder Paul Collingwood has recovered from a similar injury.

Sidebottom, who clowned around at nets today, limping and pretending to collapse for press photographers, said: "I'm fighting fit and available for selection. I'm not getting on the plane home.

"You need time for these things to get better, but I've had two or three days' rest."

Sidebottom faces an emotional showdown with former Kiwi captain Stephen Fleming, playing in his final series before retirement. Fleming was a key influence on Sidebottom when the pair won the County Championship together at Nottinghamshire in 2005.

Sidebottom said: "Steve's a lovely bloke, he would tell me a few things about my game and what I needed to improve on.

"He always set attacking fields and that definitely helped me. But I'm looking forward to bowling at him and hopefully I can knock him over."

SOUTH AFRICA won the Second Test against Bangladesh by an innings and 205 runs in Chittagong.