Tom Blundell dragged New Zealand back into the match with an excellent hundred, sharing crucial lower-order partnerships worth 50+ with debutants Scott Kuggeleijn and Blair Tickner to reduce England's first innings lead to just 19, before Ben Stokes' men attacked their way to 79-2 at the close of play.
Blundell was outstanding against England last summer, scoring 383 runs at an average of 76.60, and he picked up where he left off in Mount Maunganui with a brilliant 138 to propel New Zealand to 306. Having resumed on 37-3 after a dramatic first day's play, New Zealand batted much more traditionally, with Devon Conway digging in on his way to 77, having benefited from a Zak Crawley drop late on day one.
Nightwatchman Neil Wagner blasted a couple of sixes off Stuart Broad after he was given a no ball reprieve, but the England man had the last laugh as he dismissed Wagner for 27. It is the 1,000th wicket Broad and James Anderson have claimed together, leaving them in elite company alongside Australian duo Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne as the only other pairing to reach the landmark.
