England openers Alastair Cook and Nick Compton scored effortless centuries to steer the first Test against New Zealand towards a likely draw with one day to play in Dunedin.
A lifeless pitch and a vastly-improved English approach to batting in the second innings made for a long fourth day for New Zealand at University Oval as the tourists reached 1-234 off 87 overs.
They have nearly overhauled the first-innings deficit of 293 after New Zealand declared their first innings at 9-460 early on Saturday.
Not a sniff of a chance was offered by Cook until he was dismissed late in the day for 116, snicking Trent Boult to wicketkeeper BJ Watling, ending a record-breaking opening stand of 231.
Compton survived a late runout scare while marooned in the 90s for 48 minutes before reaching three figures for the first time in his fifth Test.
Unbeaten on 102, he has relieved pressure on his place in the team following a first-innings duck.
Compton and Cook surpassed Chris Tavare and Graeme Fowler’s previous record for an England opening stand against New Zealand of 223, achieved at The Oval in London in 1983.
It is also a ground record for all partnerships in the five Tests at University Oval, bettering the 200 shared by South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis for the third wicket in last year’s drawn affair.
Left-hander Cook feasted on runs off his pads, hitting 14 fours during a 252-ball knock which improved a comparatively bleak record against New Zealand. It was his first century against the Black Caps and improved an average against them that stood at 35, compared to his career average which climbed above 50 on Saturday.
Compton was even more watchful, facing 265 balls and hitting 10 boundaries.
Nightwatchman Steven Finn had yet to score.
Gone were the inexplicably-rash shots that pockmarked England’s first innings of 167 on Thursday in batting conditions which were just as friendly.
England were 0-58 at lunch and 0-139 at tea as the New Zealand bowlers struggled for any sideways movement on the brown pitch despite overcast conditions.
Boult was the most consistent performer, taking 1-33 off 19 overs. Fellow-left-arm seamer Neil Wagner and spinner Bruce Martin, who took four wickets each on Thursday, were ineffective.
Earlier, New Zealand unleashed some rambunctious batting in just 8.4 overs before the declaration, blasting 58 runs for the loss of two wickets.
Aggressive captain Brendon 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. He also cracked nine boundaries in a whirlwind 59-ball innings.
Martin scored 44 while Broad’s figures improved to 3-118.
