England all but batted New Zealand out of the second Test with their top-six guiding their side to a 421-run lead at the close of play on the third day at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Saturday.
Already ahead by 144 runs, the England batsmen produced a series of partnerships to reach 277 for nine at the end of play, giving their bowlers a formidable target to defend and at least two days to try to level the three-match series.
The highest successful run chase at the Basin Reserve was the 277-3 achieved by Pakistan in December 2003, while the highest fourth-innings total was the 286 by New Zealand against Sri Lanka in December 2006.
Opener Alastair Cook scored 60, and combined in a 106-run partnership with Andrew Strauss (44) while there were also useful contributions from Paul Collingwood (59) and Ian Bell (41). Collingwood and Bell put on 59-runs for the fifth wicket.
Monty Panesar was six not out at the close while Collingwood, who also scored 65 in England's first innings of 342, was trapped leg before wicket by Mark Gillespie in the final over of the day.
CAPACITY CROWD
Gillespie had dropped Collingwood before he had scored.
Jacob Oram was New Zealand's best bowler with 3-44 while Kyle Mills had figures of 2-59.
England had resumed the day's play on 4-0 and only lost the wicket of captain Michael Vaughan (13) before lunch, when he nicked a Mills delivery to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, who took the straightforward catch.
Cook, Strauss and Kevin Pietersen (17) were then all dismissed between lunch and tea in front of a capacity crowd of 9,500, which forced New Zealand Cricket to close the gates. Oram then took two wickets in the evening session, having Bell caught at point by Mathew Sinclair before he bowled Tim Ambrose, who scored a century in the first innings, for five.
Stuart Broad was dismissed just before the close when he chased a full delivery from Chris Martin and was caught behind by Brendon McCullum for 16.
Ryan Sidebottom was then caught by Jamie How at third slip for a duck off Gillespie, who trapped Collingwood in front on the first ball of the final over of the day.
New Zealand won the first test in Hamilton by 189 runs. the final match begins in Napier on March 22.
