New Zealand are relying on two staunch days of batting or inclement weather to rescue the second cricket Test after England further stamped their authority on day three in Wellington.
The hosts had reached 1-77 at stumps off 33 overs, still 134 runs behind after being made to follow on at the Basin Reserve on Saturday.
England allrounder Stuart Broad claimed 6-51 as New Zealand succumbed in their first innings for 254, still 12 runs short of the follow-on mark.
Opener Peter Fulton, who looked badly out of sorts in his first innings, had reached a confident 41. He and Kane Williamson (16) put on 52 for the second wicket after Williamson survived a lbw decision review off Steven Finn – saved only by a faint inside edge.
Earlier, Hamish Rutherford provided spinner Monty Panesar with his first scalp of the Test when caught at leg slip for 15.
Showers are forecast for the next two days, which would break a lengthy drought in Wellington and potentially save a New Zealand side who have been outplayed throughout.
England made batting look relatively easy in scoring 465 on an even pitch yet their seam attack has generated significant bounce and pace over four sessions.
Broad, 26, showed he has fully overcome a heel injury which curtailed his recent tour of India by recording the third-best innings figures of his career.
He found a spot short of a length which the home side struggled to handle, ripping through the last three wickets for 15 runs with the second new ball.
The tourists claimed five wickets in the second session, including Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling in their 60s.
McCullum struck a lively 69 off 94 balls, sharing a 100-run partnership with wicketkeeper Watling (60) after New Zealand were teetering at 5-89 early on day three.
The skipper struck nine fours and one six in raising his 27th half-century before edging Finn to second slip.
He will be annoyed not to have pushed on, having registered scores from 69 to 79 in six of his past seven innings on the English tour across all forms of the game.
Watling reached a fourth half-century in controlled style. His dismissal, caught behind off Broad, exposed the tail.
Spinner Bruce Martin was unbeaten on 21 but he received little support from Tim Southee (3), Neil Wagner (0) and Trent Boult (2).
New Zealand began the day at 3-66 and reached 5-169 at lunch thanks mostly to McCullum’s aggression.
Overnight pair Williamson and Dean Brownlie were dismissed within the space of four deliveries.
Williamson, on 42, drove an innocuous Broad delivery straight back to the bowler while James Anderson snared Brownlie lbw in the next over for 23.