New Zealand built a healthy first-innings lead before snaring the wickets of Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance to stay on top after three days of the first Test against England.
The tourists, who resumed on 303-2 at Lord's, saw Kane Williamson (132) reach a splendid century, before valuable contributions from Brendon McCullum (42) and BJ Watling (61 not out) steered New Zealand to 523 all out and an advantage of 134.
Debutant Mark Wood (3-93) and Stuart Broad (3-77) were rewarded for decent spells, but England were largely frustrated in the field.
The hosts were then left reeling when Lyth (12) and Ballance (0) were seen off by Trent Boult (1-22) and Tim Southee (1-29) respectively.
Yet skipper Alastair Cook (32 not out) and Ian Bell (29 not out) led a recovery with a vital unbroken stand of 49, leaving England 60 behind at stumps on 74-2.
Williamson wasted little time in etching his name onto the Lord's honours board with a dab to third man in the second over of the day.
Ross Taylor brought up his half-century from the next delivery - marking just the second time all of New Zealand's top four have made scores of 50 or more in the same innings of a Test.
Broad finally ended a 189-run partnership when Taylor gloved a delivery down the leg side and fell victim to a stunning catch from wicketkeeper Jos Buttler
A typically aggressive McCullum put New Zealand ahead with consecutive fours off Wood before thumping Ben Stokes over the ropes at midwicket.
He became Wood's first Test victim, though, caught by Joe Root at third man prior to rain in London bringing an early lunch break.
Another brilliant Buttler catch off Corey Anderson (9) gave Wood another wicket, before Watling rightly survived a review on nought after being caught behind.
Watling, nursing a knee injury, then frustrated England alongside Williamson, the latter setting a New Zealand benchmark for accumulated Test runs without being dismissed.
England finally got Williamson when he edged a Moeen Ali (3-94) delivery to Ballance at backward short-leg, and the same bowler had Mark Craig lbw for a duck two balls later.
Watling passed 50, but ran out of partners as James Anderson, Wood and Broad combined to see off the New Zealand tail.
Much like the first innings when England were 30-4, the hosts lost early wickets - Lyth edging Boult to slip and Southee bowling Ballance with a beauty that shaved off stump.
New Zealand's search for another scalp proved fruitless, though, as experienced campaigners Cook and Bell negotiated their way to the close.