IT WAS the French dramatist Paul Claudel who once observed that people are only heroes when they can't do anything else. If he had not died some years before Michael Atherton was born he might have been talking about England's cricket captain, who should have been given a statue of himself to enveil at Lancaster Park, Christchurch yesterday, though at this moment it must be questionable how many Athertons the New Zealand public could stomach.

Atherton's part in England's four-wicket win over New Zealand in the Third Test here yesterday was so monumental, however, so cussedly, bloody-mindedly, hard-assed, that when they presented him with the man of the match award afterwards it felt a little like giving Nelson a lapel pin for that nasty little business at Trafalgar, or Drake a bowls set for his part in seeing off the Armada.

He was on the field for almost 27 hours - the whole match, less the last four hours. He followed his first innings, bat-carrying 94 not out by scoring 118, his 11th Test century, as England chased 305. Even John Edrich, that champion of batting adhesion, the same Edrich who was on the field every minute of play when England played New Zealand in Leeds in 1965, was seen shaking his head with pure admiration.

When Atherton was finally out England immediately wobbled, like a spinning plate left too long on a stick by an ageing Chinese juggler; three wickets fell in the space of 16 balls before John Crawley and Dominic Cork saw the side home. England won the rubber 2-0, their first series win overseas since they beat ... er, New Zealand, five years ago.

England have had many greater batsmen than Michael Atherton but none more mulish, more bull-necked in adversity.

At the press conference afterwards Steve Rixon, New Zealand's Australian coach, was asked whether Atherton should be reappointed captain for next summer's Ashes series. "Tonight I would give him anything he asked for," he replied with a rueful shake of the head. "He played outstandingly."

England resumed yesterday on 118 for two, with Atherton on 65, still needing 187 for victory. They should have lost night-watchman Andrew Caddick in the fourth over of the morning when he played forward to Daniel Vettori and the ball became lodged between bat and pad. From there it dropped on to his left foot, for Stephen Fleming to take the catch. Umpire Darrell Hair ruled not out. This was understandable because Fleming partially unsighted the official. England appeared to be strongly placed at 203 for three at lunch, needing 102 more and with Atherton 105 not out. But England lost their captain almost immediately after the break caught behind, and it was two wickets in five balls and three in 16 when Nasser Hussain was caught at silly-point and Graham Thorpe caught and bowled, both victims of Vettori.

It was about this time that Fleming might have done better. But he over-bowled Nathan Astle and with Vettori's fingers tiring England reached tea on 257 for six, Crawley 13, Cork 16, and needed another 48 in a minimum of 25 overs.

The end came quickly, Crawley playing a backfoot cover-drive for four to raise the 300 followed by a flick through midwicket for three. When Dominic Cork then struck a four to square leg England were home with 12.2 to spare. Crawley had made 40 and Cork, whose mental approach had been so questioned in recent weeks, a mature 39.

Atherton's performance had trumped his match-saving 185 in Johannesburg a year ago. "To do this in winning circumstances made it very special," he said.