New Zealand are contemplating the possibility of a rare Test win after following on, having dug in with the bat on Sunday to set up an absorbing last two days of the second Test against England.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Black Caps unearthed some much-needed tenacity to reach 202-3 in their second innings at stumps on day three in Wellington, closing within 24 runs of the tourists.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Their gritty response after being asked to follow on was founded on half-centuries by openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kane Williamson was a patient 25 not out at the close, needing just four more runs to surpass Ross Taylor as New Zealand's greatest Test run-scorer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The former skipper will resume on Monday alongside Henry Nicholls (18 not out) with New Zealand harbouring slim hopes of squaring the two-match series on a Basin Reserve pitch starting to offer turn and variable bounce.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Only England (twice) and India have achieved the feat of winning a Test after following on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Latham says his team have belief they can topple the tourists if they can carry momentum into day four.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Absolutely, you've always got to look at ways to win a Test match," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We certainly know there's a lot of work to do to reach that point but whether it's 200 or 250 (target), you never know what's enough.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We've seen with the wicket, whether it's the old ball or the new ball, there's plenty of turn there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"To be close to parity at this point is really pleasing."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A New Zealand victory looked a distant prospect when dismissed for 209 in their first innings midway through the morning session, 226 runs behind England's 435-8 declared.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Latham (83) and Conway (61) combined to frustrate England for 149 runs before the first wicket fell, unveiling combative qualities that had been absent in a series dominated by England's impressive seam bowling.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
New Zealand's foothold in the game loosened when both openers and Will Young (8) fell in the space of 18 runs, all to spin, to leave them 167-3 before Williamson and Nicholls dug in.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"For me and Dev to set the tone, that was important," Latham said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We lost a couple of wickets but the work Henry and Kane did at the back end of the session was really important. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England assistant coach Paul Collingwood defended captain Ben Stokes' decision to enforce the follow-on, when instead putting the Black Caps back out in the field could have shut them out of the contest.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"The mantra of this team is to take the aggressive approach," Collingwood said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"There was no doubt in Stokesy's mind, if we the got opportunity, that that was how we were going to go about things.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Like we've said before, we're not scared of losing and we want to get ourselves into position to win games."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jack Leach was the pick of England's attack, taking 2-59 off 31 overs, with his ball to bowl Young a textbook delivery for a left-arm spinner.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England are still well placed to notch a seventh straight Test win and secure a 2-0 series sweep after their 267-run first Test triumph at Mount Maunganui.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The key will be removing Williamson, who has been well short of his best form in the series, tallying 10 runs from three previous innings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, the 32-year-old unleashed a typically frill-free knock, taking few risks from 81 balls faced to keep his side in the contest.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Four more runs will carry him past the New Zealand record of 7,683 runs scored by long-time team-mate Taylor, who retired last year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A grinding finish to the day was in contrast to a lively first hour, when New Zealand lost their last three first-innings wickets for 71 runs off just 11.2 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Seamer Stuart Broad claimed all three wickets to finish with 4-61, his introduction halting a New Zealand charge led by Tim Southee.<\/p>\r\n\r\n