New Zealand must replicate England’s batting marathon from the drawn first Test if they are to force a second stalemate in Wellington and send the series to an Auckland decider.
Peter Fulton (41) and Kane Williamson (16) resume on Sunday with New Zealand on 1-77, still 134 runs behind after following on at tea on day three.
With a maximum of six sessions remaining, the hosts’ application must now much that of England in Dunedin last week, where they forced a draw by batting for 170 overs in their second innings.
Like University Oval, the Basin Reserve is a good batting track and New Zealand are determined to improve considerably on a first innings of 254, which left them 211 runs behind.
Wicketkeeper BJ Watling is confident they can thrive against an England attack that has spent more than 120 overs in the field.
“The longer we keep them out there, hopefully they get tired and start loosening up and then we can put pressure back on them,” Watling said.
“The wicket’s a good track. We needed 350 at least but if we can rectify ourselves in the second innings, a lead of 200 on this track could be defendable.”
A New Zealand win seems fanciful given England’s dominance, most notably through the incisive bowling of Stuart Broad, who claimed six first-innings wickets for 51.
Broad says keeping their bowlers fresh if New Zealand dig in will be a challenge.
Strike bowler James Anderson was feeling the effects of a hard slog into the wind for much of Saturday, battling ankle and back niggles.
“Confidence is high but there are some tired guys,” Broad said.
“There is not a lot of assistance there, especially for the seamers, so it will be about building maidens and creating pressure.”
The threat of rain also hovers over the final two days.
If the heavens open as forecast, the series will head to the third and final Test starting at Auckland’s Eden Park on Friday still locked at 0-0.