MOUNT MAUNGANUI: England left New Zealand with a target of 394 to win the first Test after being dismissed for 374 late on the third day at Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
The Black Caps claimed the last two wickets for the cost of 25 runs after dinner, setting up a challenging pursuit to win the fast-moving day-night encounter at the Bay Oval.
They will have more than two days to secure victory but must defy history, with no side having successfully chased more than 345 in the fourth innings of a Test in New Zealand.
Their first task will be to incur minimal damage in a difficult two-hour session under lights in the final session.
England were typically aggressive after resuming at 79-2, plundering 158 runs in the first two hours before wicketkeeper Ben Foakes steadied proceedings with a resolute 51 after tea.
Ollie Pope scored 49, Joe Root 57 and Harry Brook 54, all unfurling the sort of fearless batting that has become an England hallmark on the way to winning nine of their last 10 Tests.
Stokes surpasses McCullum’s record for Test sixes
Captain Ben Stokes contributed a lusty 31, in the process overtaking his coach Brendon McCullum as the outright record holder for the most sixes struck in Test cricket.
Stokes hoisted the 108th six of his career when he hooked seamer Scott Kuggeleijn over fine leg.
He hit one more before being stumped off spinner Michael Bracewell, typically trying to force the pace.
Most other England wickets fell when taking risks, the most blatant being Root, who was caught in the slips after mistiming a reverse sweep for the second time in the Test.
New Zealand’s Neil Wagner was targeted ruthlessly, going to tea with figures of 2-104 – the most runs any bowler has conceded from their first 11 overs of an innings in Test history.
Wagner paid a heavy price for persisting with short-pitched bowling, conceding 12 fours and six sixes, the vast majority through cross-batted shots.
The left-armer’s last over cost 18 runs as Brook opened his stance and used a baseball technique to swat the 36-year-old for four boundaries.
Wagner claimed the first two wickets of the day, luring false shots from nightwatchman Stuart Broad (7) and Pope.
Brook and Root put on 81 for the fifth wicket in less than 11 overs before Brook was caught behind off seamer Blair Tickner (3-55), who finished with four wickets in his debut Test.
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