Harry Brook continued his remarkable form in New Zealand with a second century of the series to drive England to 280 before the tourists reduced the Black Caps to 86 for 5 at the close of play on Friday, the first day of the second Test.
In an echo of last week's first Test, which England won by eight wickets, Brook and Ollie Pope resurrected the innings from 43-4 with a fifth-wicket partnership of 174 after the top order crumbled again in Wellington.
Brook was dismissed in farcical circumstances, run-out for 123, to bring up tea, but he still took his tally in his four Tests in New Zealand to 613 runs, at an average of 122.6.
"I think that might be my favourite hundred so far," said Brook, who has scored eight over his 23-Test career.
"I enjoyed that a lot. It was seaming and swinging and I'm just glad I put my attacking mode on and really took it to them and put them under pressure."
England folded fairly quickly after the second break, but with ball in hand quickly removed Devon Conway, Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra cheaply.
Kane Williamson survived a big scare on 20 when he was bowled by Brydon Carse off a no-ball but the big seamer made no mistake in the last 20 minutes of play when he had the master batsman caught behind for 37.
Carse still had time to do the same to send back Daryl Mitchell for six with a delivery down the leg side, taking the 15th and final wicket of an eventful day.
Nightwatchman Will O'Rourke, who had yet to score, and Tom Blundell, unbeaten on seven, made it to stumps with New Zealand 194 runs in arrears.
England had earlier looked in just as deep trouble when seamer Matt Henry removed openers of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in a brilliant early spell of four maidens.
All-rounder Nathan Smith from the other end chipped in with the wickets of Joe Root (3) and Jacob Bethell (16) to put England firmly on the ropes at 43-4.
Brook brought up his third century in four Tests in New Zealand from 91 balls with a single through point, having smashed nine fours and five sixes to rescue England for the second match in a row.
He scored an entertaining 171 last week in Christchurch and he and Pope put on 151 runs for the fifth wicket as England recovered from 71-4 to post a score of 499.
They bettered it at the Basin Reserve, frustrating the New Zealand bowlers with confident, aggressive batting until O'Rourke separated them by dismissing Pope off a leading edge for 66.
Smith (4-86) returned and ran out Brook before removing Gus Atkinson and Carse to prevent the England tail from wagging as hard as it did in Christchurch, but the tourists still finished the day the happier team.
The 26-year-old all-rounder, playing on his home ground his second test, suggested the batters might have another tricky day on Saturday.
"Today had a little bit more pace in it than normal on day one," he said.
"Tomorrow, again, I think there will probably still be a bit there for the seamers. And then maybe day three and four, it'll flatten out like it normally does here."
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