England made the ideal start in their fight to save the first cricket Test against New Zealand in Dunedin, reaching 58 without loss at lunch on day four.
Staring at a first-innings deficit of 293 runs, openers Alastair Cook and Nick Compton were untroubled in seeing off 22 overs at a cold University Oval.
Both batsmen were on 25, taking a disciplined approach at the top of the order in the wake of a wasteful first innings on Thursday, when they were bundled out for 167 in 55 overs.
Despite overcast conditions, there remains few terrors in the pitch, leaving New Zealand with a taxing task to win in the five remaining sessions of a rain-affected Test.
They have already wasted one of their decision review options, unsuccessfully appealing that Compton had nicked a leg-side delivery to the wicketkeeper off seamer Tim Southee.
Earlier, New Zealand brightened the start of another gloomy day with some rambunctious batting before declaring their first innings closed at 460-9.
Captain Brendon McCullum gave his team 44 minutes at the crease, which they used to good effect, adding 58 runs for the loss of two wickets off just 8.4 overs.
An aggressive McCullum notched his 26th half century, needing just 17 balls to race from 44 overnight to 74 before skying a Stuart Broad delivery in trying to hit a fourth six. McCullum also cracked nine boundaries in the whirlwind 59-ball innings.
He received good support from debut spinner Bruce Martin, who scored 41 to follow his first innings bowling figures of 4-44.
Martin’s dismissal – caught behind to provide Steven Finn with his first wicket of the Test – prompted the declaration. Neil Wagner was unbeaten on four.
Broad’s figures improved to 3-118 while James Anderson finished with 4-137.