Sidebottom breaks free from the pack to give England victory and level the series

It was the man who has become the undisputed leader of the attack, the bowler who Michael Vaughan now instinctively turns to when times are tough. Guess who?

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You could have got long odds against that leader being Ryan Sidebottom at the start of last summer but the rise and rise of this county stalwart turned internationally-renowned swing bowler has been the success story of an indifferent year for England.

It is one that should give hope to any county bowler who feels that he too could excel at this level.

Whoever it was who decided to throw Sidebottom into the fray at Headingley last May against the West Indies - and the phone call to his county, Notts, asking about his form was made by assistant coach Andy Flower - made an inspired decision.

The man who had failed to take a wicket in his single previous Test, against Pakistan fully seven years ago, has been an absolute revelation in the 11 matches he has played since that shock call-up.

Sidebottom it was who made the crucial breakthrough with the second new ball to remove Jacob Oram on the fourth evening at the Basin Reserve and it was Sidebottom again who struck in his first over on the fifth morning to dismiss Daniel Vettori as New Zealand sought the remaining 196 they needed for a record-breaking victory.

When the left-armer then followed up by trapping Kyle Mills to claim his fifth wicket of the innings, after the ten wickets he took in Hamilton, the game was up for the Black Caps.

And England, who completed a 126-run victory when Sidebottom - who else - caught Brendon McCullum on the boundary, could be mightily relieved that they were back in this series at 1-1 with a decider to come at Napier on Friday night UK time.

"I was a bit surprised when Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard were dropped," said Sidebottom, as softly spoken off the field as he is aggressive on it.

"But that's the new regime. It's the same for everyone. If you are performing you will be in the team but if you're not you will be out. That gives everyone a kick up the bum and it can only be good for the team. You have to keep on your toes. It also, on this occasion, gave me a bit of added responsibility."

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At 30, Sidebottom, who now has 48 wickets from his 12 Tests, is more than mature enough to take that responsibility in his stride. He was ready for England at least two years before his second coming, according to his old captain at Notts Stephen Fleming.

It is just that Fleming probably did not want Sidebottom to prove it by claiming his wicket twice in Hamilton, the second as part of a hat-trick.

To be fair David Graveney, recently sacked as chairman of selectors, would often talk about Sidebottom as a contender over the years but former coach Duncan Fletcher just did not think he was quick enough for international cricket.

Now, less than a year after returning to the England side, Sidebottom is capable of bowling in the high 80s and has proved to be one of Fletcher's rare mistakes in his usually astute judgment of players.

Sidebottom is far too polite to cricticise Fletcher and prefers to look ahead. "I like to think I've got a few years left in me if I keep myself fit and strong," he said after his latest triumph.

"I want to play as long as I can and make the most of the opportunity that has come my way. I never gave up when I was out of the side and I haven't really changed anything about my game since I've been back in the England team. I know my own game and I just bowl the way I did in county cricket."

He admits, though, that he worked long and hard on his ability to swing the ball with his then coach at Yorkshire Steve Oldham after his chastening wicketless Test in 2001.

His subsequent move to Trent Bridge was the making of him and the 16 wickets he has taken in this series so far have come in front of his father Arnie, a one-Test man himself and a nervous follower of his son who could not bring himself to watch any of his Test performances last summer.

"He's really happy and proud," said Sidebottom junior. "He doesn't come too often so it's nice for him to see me take wickets. Mum tells me he has been effing and blinding during the games, about field placings and things like that, but that's just his character. Unfortunately they are going home now. Mum says they've got to get back to the dog."

Now Sidebottom, who is working to curb his "white line fever" which has sometimes seen him react excessively to catches dropped off his bowling - and to be fair there have been a few - must rouse himself for one last effort in the third of three back-to-back Tests on what is said to be a flat wicket at McLean Park.

Three successive Tests saw him feel the heat in Sri Lanka before Christmas and he added "If there's one thing I still need to improve in my game it's my fitness. I've bowled a lot of over already so we'll put us feet up tomorrow and then I'll have everything you need to stay fresh, like the ice baths and massages. Then we will roll on to the next one."

And one of the few certainties of an inconsistent England team is that Vaughan can again rely on Sidebottom to be his spearhead.