England huffed and puffed their way to the rot-stopping series win they desperately needed here but will leave New Zealand with at least as many unanswered questions as problems solved.

After losing in quick succession to India and Sri Lanka last year, the pressure was growing on both captain Michael Vaughan and coach Peter Moores. A 2-1 victory, sealed by today's 121-run success, at least buys some breathing space, though not much given that the next Test against the Kiwis, at Lord's, is only seven weeks away.

And it could have been a decidedly uncomfortable, as well as brief, break for England if New Zealand had taken their chances in the Second and Third Tests. Even today, Tim Southee's brutal late onslaught perfectly underlined how fragile this team can be.

Debut-maker Southee, batting at No10, lifted spinner Monty Panesar and fast bowlers Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad for nine sixes while racing to an unbeaten 77 from 40 balls.

With only last man Chris Martin for company, it could not last but the youngster gave Vaughan's men an uncomfortable half an hour or so before Ryan Sidebottom did the trick.

England went into this series as red-hot favourites, with most people expecting them to triumph 3-0 against a New Zealand outfit shorn of key figures like Shane Bond, Scott Styris and Craig McMillan.

But, instead of trampling their opponents underfoot, England were well beaten in Hamilton and close to crumbling at both Wellington and here.

Indeed, defeat looked more probable than possible when the visitors subsided to 136 for five on day one of the Second Test. And the Kiwis had another golden opportunity in the decider after reaching 103 for one in reply to 253 all out.

A wonderfully bold century from Tim Ambrose rescued England in Wellington while undisputed man-of-the-series Sidebottom turned the tables at McLean Park.

England knew that, realistically, only rain could deny them this morning when they clocked on for the final day of a long winter which included a trip to South Africa and two visits to Sri Lanka before this eight-week expedition.

But, typical of New Zealand, nothing - except lunch, when nine wickets were down - was handed over on a plate.

Panesar managed to dislodge the last two recognised batsmen, Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum, in the space of four deliveries soon after the pair had completed a century stand. He had Taylor taken by Paul Collingwood at slip and then easily defeated McCullum's ugly attempt to play across the line.

That gave Panesar his seventh five-wicket haul in 26 matches and, just before lunch, the left-armer struck a sixth time when Jeetan Patel swept to backward square-leg.

Far from coming quietly, though, Southee gave home supporters plenty to cheer for 30 minutes after lunch by repeatedly sweeping Panesar over the rope and driving both Anderson and Broad way beyond cover.

'Send for Sidebottom' has been the answer for England all series, and so it proved one more time.

Martin's off stump was knocked back to give the Yorkshireman his 24th wicket, at an average of 17 runs apiece, and allow the party to begin.

Once back home, however, Moores and Vaughan and the other selectors will need to put their thinking caps on.

Three centuries in the final Test - from Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell - have put a gloss on the collective performance of England's top six. But no one needs to scratch too deeply to locate statistics which show there have not been enough big scores from the top order over the past year.

Vaughan, for example, has gone all winter without a Test century as an opener and might benefit from moving down to No4. This would give him a bit more time to stop thinking about captaincy matters after hours in the field and start turning his mind to batting.

Then there is Strauss, who looked like a drowning man at No3 until grabbing a lifeline here. And who would make way if Andrew Flintoff returns in the near future?

Further down the order, Broad looks set for a long run in the side. But the same cannot be said of Anderson, who continues to follow one highly promising performance with several desperately bad displays. Do England look to the experienced Matthew Hoggard or Steve Harmison as an alternative, having so recently dropped their big two, or search further afield?

Apart from Broad, the others to have made real gains in New Zealand had to be Sidebottom and Ambrose. Sidebottom was in danger of being typecast as one of those unlucky bowlers after repeatedly beating the edge - or having catches dropped when he hit it.

But over the past few weeks he has lost that tag while becoming public hero No1 with the Barmy Army.

As for Ambrose, he attracted little attention behind the stumps, which is always good news for a keeper. And, in front of them, he scored the century which changed the series.