Ross Taylor's 80 helped guide New Zealand into a first-innings lead over England in the second and final Test at Edgbaston on Saturday. New Zealand were 326-5 at lunch on the third day, 23 runs ahead of England's 303.
The Blackcaps had the better of the session, scoring 97 runs for the loss of two wickets. Tom Blundell was 24 not out after being dropped on nought by opposing wicket-keeper James Bracey. Daryl Mitchell, one of six changes, including Blundell, to the New Zealand side that drew last week's first Test at Lord's, was unbeaten on three.
New Zealand resumed on 229-3, a deficit of 74, after Will Young had been dismissed for 82 off the last ball of Friday's play when part-time off-spinner Dan Lawrence had him caught at short leg.
Taylor, was 46 not out after opener Devon Conway had followed his stunning 200 on debut in last week's drawn first Test at Lord's with 80. The experienced Taylor completed just his second fifty in 15 Test innings when he swept Lawrence for four, his seventh boundary in 101 balls faced.
It was an encouraging sign for New Zealand ahead of their appearance in next week's inaugural World Test Championship final against India at Southampton. Taylor, however, should have been out for 68 but a miscued hook off Stuart Broad was dropped by substitute Sam Billings at fine leg as England missed yet another chance.
England continued to endure a tough first hour, despite taking the new ball, with Bracey, fresh from his second duck in as many Tests, conceding nine byes. Taylor's impressive innings ended, however, with New Zealand in sight of a first-innings lead, when he tried to attack Olly Stone but succeeded only in edging to Bracey.
New Zealand were then 292-4, with Taylor having missed out on a fourth Test century in England. But Bracey's joy turned to despair three balls later when the relatively novice gloveman dropped new batsman Blundell after failing to hang to a low one-handed chance off Stone as he dived to his right.
But Bracey's see-saw match continued when Henry Nicholls a ball after being hit on the helmet by a Mark Wood bouncer, gloved down the legside on 21 and was well caught by the keeper.