Alastair Cook and Ian Bell survived a torrid final hour to guide England to 74 for two at the close on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday.
The hosts trailed by 60 runs after New Zealand were bowled out for 523, Kane Williamson contributing a patient 132.
England lost debutant opener Adam Lyth for 12, caught by Tom Southee in the slips off Trent Boult, and Gary Ballance was bowled by Southee for one to give New Zealand a scent of victory.
But Cook (32 not out) and Bell (29 not out) mixed watchful defence with a few crisp boundaries to settle England nerves.
Williamson, 92 not out overnight, quickly completed his 10th Test century before going into attritional mode.
Ross Taylor was out for 62, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler taking an acrobatic catch after the batsman gloved a Stuart Broad delivery down the leg side.
The explosive Brendon McCullum joined Williamson at the crease and immediately signalled his intent by flashing his first delivery through the covers for four.
Williamson played more conservatively and was content to watch as McCullum flayed England's attack all around the ground in an entertaining cameo.
However, he attempted one big shot too many and was well caught on the long leg boundary by Joe Root to give Mark Wood his first Test scalp.
Rain forced the umpires to call an early lunch which New Zealand took on 407 for four.
Corey Anderson was caught by Buttler off Wood for nine and Williamson's 262-ball vigil finally ended when he was caught by Ballance at short leg off spinner Moeen Ali. He hit 15 fours in an innings spanning more than six hours.
Moeen trapped Mark Craig lbw for nought and Southee, on 11, skied James Anderson to Wood in the deep before BJ Watling's unbeaten 61 took New Zealand past 500.
Broad, Wood and Moeen took three wickets each.
Scorecard
England 1st innings 389
New Zealand 1st innings (Overnight: 303-2)
M. Guptill c Ballance b Broad 70
T. Latham lbw b Ali 59
K. Williamson c Ballance b Ali 132
R. Taylor c Buttler b Broad 62
B. McCullum c Root b Wood 42
C. Anderson c Buttler b Wood 9
B. Watling not out 47
M. Craig lbw b Ali 0
T. Southee c Wood b Anderson 11
M. Henry not out 8
Extras (b-26 lb-34 nb-1 w-6) 67
Total (for 8 wickets, 127 overs) 507
Fall of wickets: 1-148, 2-148, 3-337, 4-403, 5-420, 6-470, 7-470, 8-493
Bowling
J. Anderson 29 - 7 - 88 - 1(w-1)
S. Broad 26 - 4 - 77 - 2(w-1)
M. Wood 25 - 2 - 82 - 2(nb-1)
B. Stokes 21 - 2 - 105 - 0
M. Ali 24 - 3 - 89 - 3
J. Root 2 - 0 - 6 - 0
England 2nd innings
A. Lyth c Southee b Boult 12
A. Cook not out 32
G. Ballance b Southee 0
I. Bell not out 29
Extras (lb-1) 1
Total (for 2 wickets, 26 overs) 74
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-25
Bowling
T. Boult 9 - 2 - 22 - 1
T. Southee 9 - 0 - 30 - 1
M. Henry 5 - 0 - 15 - 0
M. Craig 3 - 0 - 6 - 0
