England bowler James Anderson enjoyed the best day of his Test career to tilt the third and final Test against

New Zealand firmly his side`s way.

Anderson first recorded his Test highest score of 28 as England reached 364 in their first innings after being put into bat by New Zealand on Thursday.He shared a stand of 76 with fellow tail-ender Stuart Broad (64).The 25-year-old then exploited overcast conditions at Trent Bridge to take six for 42, bettering his previous Test best of five for 42. He troubled the tourists with his natural outswing to leave them teetering on 96 for six, still 69 runs short of avoiding the follow-on."It`s probably the best day I have had in Test cricket," Anderson told reporters. "I can`t remember anything else that comes close."I bowl my best when the ball is swinging. We chatted before the game and said we need to bowl a fuller length. When I saw it swinging from ball one I thought it could be my day."Lancashire player Anderson first carved his reputation internationally as a dangerous swing bowler against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup in Cape Town. But injuries and inconsistent displays have kept him on the fringes for the past five years while Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and Simon Jones have taken centre stage.
Since March, though, when Broad and Anderson replaced Hoggard and Harmison and with Flintoff and Jones struggling for fitness, Anderson has become a prominent member of England`s bowling attack."I`m getting there," he said. "I definitely can be. I have just shown glimpses of what I can do and if I can get that consistency that England are looking for I can be one of the main men in the attack."New Zealand`s top scorer Jamie How (40) suggested that his fellow-batsmen could have played Anderson better but added there was sometimes little a player could do when the ball was moving around."It was testing conditions and Jimmy bowled really well," How said. "We should have played better but it`s another day tomorrow and hopefully the sun will be shining and we can put a couple of partnerships together and get nearer to their total."England need only to avoid defeat to win the series after drawing at Lord`s and winning at Old Trafford.