Steven Finn took 6-125 but England’s batsmen struggled as New Zealand continued to dominate the final Test.
BBCSport
Fast bowler Finn dismissed Peter Fulton for 136 before taking four wickets in 14 balls after tea to equal his Test-best and dismiss the hosts for 443.
But the tourists lost captain Alastair Cook for four and Jonathan Trott for 27 and ended day two in Auckland on 50-2, some 393 behind New Zealand.
England now face a huge challenge to force a series-winning victory. They would have been facing a bigger deficit but for a superb effort from the dogged Finn in the first hour of the final session. The 23-year-old ended Tim Southee’s entertaining cameo on 44 and then raced through the lower order to complete his fourth Test five-wicket haul in his 20th match.
The Middlesex seamer, who bowled 37.3 overs on a lifeless wicket, was backed up well by wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who took five catches for the fifth time in his Test career.
But England suffered an early blow in their reply when Trent Boult had Cook caught behind off a leg-side delivery in the third over and then an off-balance Trott was trapped lbw by an inswinger from the same bowler.
The Warwickshire batsman was sent on his way after losing a referral which handed the initiative firmly back to the Kiwis.
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Nick Compton, with 12 from 72 balls, and Ian Bell (six from 27) dug in to see England through to the close, but their first task on day three will be to ensure their side reaches the follow-on target.
The hosts, who were 250-1 overnight, lost an early wicket as James Anderson broke Fulton and Kane Williamson’s 181-run partnership by having the latter caught behind for 91.
Fulton, who made his maiden Test hundred on day one, struggled for runs as England starved him of scoring opportunities through his favoured leg-side.
