England have the chance to force victory in the second Test after taking late New Zealand wickets on the fourth day at Trent Bridge.
The hosts picked up 3-37 in the closing stages to leave New Zealand 224-7, 238 ahead.
The in-form Daryl Mitchell remains on 32 not out, but he has only the tail for company as he bids to add to the Black Caps’ lead.
England had an earlier opportunity to put the tourists under pressure when Joe Root and Ben Foakes made a blistering start on Monday morning.
But after Root was out for a majestic 176, it began a collapse of five wickets for 23, including Foakes being run out for 56.
The home side were dismissed for 539, a first-innings deficit of 14 runs.
Attendance for the final day will be free of charge, with Nottinghamshire asking supporters to obtain their tickets online before arriving at the ground.
Late surge boosts England chances
It is in keeping with the fascinating nature of this Test that all results are possible going into the final day, but England’s late burst could now have them as favourites.
When Mitchell and Tom Blundell – England’s familiar foes – were together, New Zealand had a lead of 190 with six wickets in hand.
It could have been that the Black Caps would have worked towards a position from where they could have declared, only for three wickets in six overs to put England in the stronger position.
England will now be looking to wrap up the tail as early as possible on Tuesday, then set about completing a run-chase that would seal a series victory.
They will be aided by a pitch that remains true and the fact New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Jamieson is struggling with a back injury.
Given England’s new-found positivity under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, it seems likely that the first thought will be of winning, rather than ensuring they cannot be beaten.
England’s persistence rewarded
There were occasions when it felt England may have missed their best chances to force victory.
Their morning collapse came when the prospect of a first-innings lead was real, and they were frustrated in the afternoon by a century stand between Will Young and Devon Conway.
England were hampered by spinner Jack Leach’s inability to provide either penetration or control and, even when Conway and Young were dismissed, Mitchell and Blundell once again showed their obduracy.
But a rare mistake from Blundell – he fell into Stuart Broad’s short-ball trap and hooked to Stokes at backward square leg – let England in.
Michael Bracewell swung 25 from 17 balls, but played one shot too many to be caught at mid-on off Matthew Potts.
Mitchell had already been involved in the run out of Young and, with the pressure mounting, another mix-up resulted in Tim Southee being sacrificed to a throw from Zak Crawley.
New Zealand engineer their own problems
That New Zealand find themselves in a certain amount of danger is mainly of their own making and comes at the end of a day they largely had the best of.
Resuming at 473-5, with Root on 163 and Foakes on 24, England scored runs at will in the opening stages. When Root drove a Trent Boult slower ball to cover point, it was a major turning point.
Broad was brilliantly held by Mitchell at slip, Foakes run out in a mix-up with Potts, who was then bowled to give Boult a deserved five-wicket haul. Last man James Anderson was stumped running at off-spinner Bracewell.
Though Tom Latham shouldered arms to be bowled by Anderson, Conway and Young built steadily. Conway, in particular, pressured Leach with sweeps and reverse sweeps in his 52.
Still, it was a top-edged sweep that proved Conway’s undoing, Henry Nicholls was caught at point and Young, on 56, was run out by good work from Ollie Pope and Stokes.
All was calm while Mitchell and Blundell were together, then came the late drama. (BBC Sport)
