Live updates from day four of third test between the Black Caps and Pakistan in Napier.
6.44pm: The rain has been too much to continue the match with officials calling it off.
Just when it has heading for an exciting finale the clouds opened up and let the rain flow to halt New Zealand with 90 runs without loss in their pursuit of the 208 runs needed to win.
A joint series win for both Pakistan and New Zealand.
Daniel Vettori was voted man of the match for his all round efforts with both the bat and ball - scoring 134 runs and claiming two wickets.
6.32pm: Play doesn't look like it will get underway as the rain continues to fall, however we're still waiting to hear the official word as to the outcome of the match.
6.18pm: The rain has become lighter but its enough to keep the covers on for the meantime.
6.03pm: Rain continues to fall on McLean Park in Napier.
5.50pm: Watling looks determined to get back out there - a century for him on debut would be a dream start to test cricket.
However the rain doesn't look like it's going away any time soon.
5.37pm: Rain stops play on the final day as the covers come on to protect the pitch with New Zealand in a very strong position to sneak home with a victory.
BJ Watling has been the star of the show scoring nearly a run a ball with 60 runs off 62 balls on his test cricket debut.
5.33pm: A light drizzle has started to come on to the ground, let's hope it doesn't interrupt the runs chase.
Kaneria continues to bowl, but he's not having any luck like his first innings with McIntosh (23) and Watling (60) continuing to tick the score over with singles.
The score is at 90 runs with 118 runs needed for New Zealand to win.
5.22pm: With two hits of his bat, Watling posts his half century on debut with a six followed by a four.
74 without loss the lead is now at 134 runs with 10 wickets remaining.
Watling has hit eight fours and a single six to cap off his fifty.
5.18pm: Watling is on a mission here.
Young BJ steps up to 40 runs with two fours in the last over off Umar Gul.
McIntosh has 17 to his name with the Black Caps 64 without loss after 16 overs.
The Pakistani lead has been cut down to 144.
It's heating up in Napier as the Black Caps go for victory.
5.08pm: Danish Kaneria and Umar Gul restart the session after tea for Pakistan with the ball in hand.
Watling (32) thumps a four to push New Zealand up to 51 without loss.
4.43pm: An exciting final session lies ahead as both teams break for tea.
Watling (27) is getting the crowd excited as he adds another four to his previous three with New Zealand moving up to 46 runs without loss.
The run rate has bumped up to 3.8 runs per over, 5.2 is the required scoring rate.
4.32pm: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf calls in Danish Kaneria to bowl.
The spinner is the real dangerman in the Pakistani bowling lineup, case in point his seven wickets in the first innings.
35 without loss with 173 runs needed to win.
4.25pm: The debutant Watling has quickly moved to 16 with McIntosh now at 11.
Both men a slowly picking up the pace in scoring as the required run rate sits at 5.2 an over.
New Zealand is 29 without loss with 179 runs needed for victory.
4.18pm: Close call for Watling (10) with New Zealand at 20 without loss.
He nearly loses his wicket as a quick single almost ends up all wrong for him as Umar Akmal gets a direct hit after running in from point.
He got home just in time.
McIntosh has seven.
4.07pm: Watling (8) smashes Aamer to lift the Black Caps to double figures.
With New Zealand at 16 without loss, they need 195 runs to win.
McIntosh has five runs to his name.
4.02pm: Watling and McIntosh are taking the conservative approach making only two runs in the four overs played so far.
The two Mohammad's, Asif and Aamer, are bowling screamers to the duo.
3.51pm: The first over ends well for the Black Caps with neither batsman losing their wicket.
The Blacks Caps are one run without loss.
They need to boost their run rate to 4.93 to have any hopes of clinching this series decider.
3.47pm: Tim McIntosh and BJ Watling open the batting for the Black Caps.
Mohammad Asif to bowl the first over.
3.39pm: Guptill does it again.
Asif goes for a duck with Guptill catching him lbw after a referral decision.
Pakistan is all out for a second innings total of 455 for nine with Kamran Akmal 56 not out.
The Black Caps need 208 in 41 overs to win this final test of the series' it will be interesting to see their batting tactics to start the run chase.
Will we see a re-jig in the line-up to go for the win or will they play out for a draw?
3.33pm: The lead is out to 207, with Asif (0) and Akmal (56) doing their best to stay alive for as long as possible.
Pakistan at 455 for nine.
Southee bowls a maiden over with Asif on strike.
3.24pm: Kaneria's a goner.
Southee via McCullum sends him packing for 11.
A short ball does the job as Kaneria goes for a pull shot which hits the top-edge of the bat and carries up and into the keeper's gloves.
New man Mohammad Asif will be on strike
3.22pm: It's not rolling New Zealand's way at McLean Park as Pakistan prop up to 449 for eight.
Their hopes of wrapping up the tail end quickly has been pushed back by Akmal reaching a crucial 50 and with Kaneria also moving into double figure with 11 runs.
Their lead is now at 201 runs.
Young gun Tim Southee has the ball.
3.06pm: Akmal punishes Vettori for six and adds a single to move to 42 with Kaneria at 4.
Could he be another half-centurion for Pakistan to add to the list of five already?
Pakistan leads by 186 with 434 for eight.
Vettori and co need to get rid of the last two wickets quickly to keep the runs chase below 200.
2.56pm: O'Brien takes out Umar Gul for a duck.
Sending in a full length delivery which cuts back in to clip an inside-edge to the attentive Flynn who takes a superb catch.
O'Brien doesn't look to be 100 percent - he goes down after the wicket but gets up gingerly to field.
Danish Kaneria comes in to bat.
2.51pm: O'Brien comes into the bowling attack.
It would be nice to see the Black Caps bowler finish with another wicket or two before he closes out his career in test cricket.
He will be sorely missed by the Black Caps and the New Zealand public.
Pakistan shift to 423 for seven with a lead of 175 runs.
Akmal has 34 with Gul yet to get off the mark
2.42pm: The players return to the field with Daniel Vettori to bowl.
2.08pm: The skipper's got him.
Three balls before the lunch break and Chris Martin catches a Daniel Vettori delivery as Mohammad Aamer (7) tries to beat the ball past deep midwicket.
Akmal (34) will be frustrated at his partner for giving away a cheap wicket to the Black Caps before the break.
Pakistan lead by 173 runs with 421 for seven.
A lucky break for the Kiwis, they really need to capitalise on this wicket to have a chance of winning the test.
Play will resume in 40 minutes.
1.52pm: Pakistan put on ten more runs to extend their lead to 172 for 40 for six.
Southee's last wicket was the only highlight for the Black Caps as Akmal (34) and Aamer (6) look to stamp out any hope of New Zealand winning this test with a lengthy stay at the crease.
O'Brien returns to the bowl attack with Vettori at the other end.
1.35pm: A vital period in the match for both teams as the Black Caps go hunting for more wickets and the Pakistan pair fight to hang on.
The longer Aamer (5) and Akmal (25) stay in the middle of pitch, the more runs New Zealand will have to chase with the lead now at 162 runs with Pakistan at 410 for six.
Vettori is back in his 45th over for the match.
1.15pm: Pakistan make 400 runs for the loss of six.
It's taken them just over 90 minutes to do so, but they will be looking to get another 100 runs plus before declaring.
Martin and Southee stay on with the ball, as they look to restrict the Pakistani's from building on top of their 152 run lead.
1.05pm: Southee does the trick with the new ball, getting Umar Akmal to top edge the ball straight back to the keeper for an easy catch.
Umar leaves the pitch with 77, another Pakistani to fall short of a century after looking comfortable at the crease for long periods of his batting spell.
Mohammad Aamer is the new man at the crease with Pakistan at 397 for six.
New Zealand needs to kill off the Pakistan tail.
1.00pm: Chris Martin comes into the attack to take up the new ball and takes a beating from Kamran Akmal who smashes 10 runs off the over.
Pakistan lead by 146 with 393 for 5.
Tim Southee gets called to action.
12.55pm: Guptill fails to crack the Akmal brothers as they give him a good work out with the bat to stretch their lead to 135.
New Zealand need to pick up some wickets fast to have a chance of winning the series decider.
12.45pm: Vettori and Tuffey are making the Akmal brothers work hard for their runs with four runs over the last four overs.
Martin Guptill takes up the bowling duties now.
Will he still have a hot hand?
374 for four with Pakistan leading by 126 runs with five wickets remaining.
12.30pm: The Akmal brothers are now at the crease with Kamran (1) joining Umar (67) in the firing line.
Tuffey (no wickets, 59 runs off 19 overs) and Vettori (one wicket, 68 runs off 41 overs) are the bowlers with Pakistan at 370 for five.
12.24pm: Skipper Daniel Vettori adds himself to the frontline bowling and comes up with a crucial wicket.
Misbah-ul-Haq is out for 7 with McCullum stumping the right-hander who misses the ball after trying to smash it over midwicket, his foot was on the line when the bails came off.
Big wicket for New Zealand, Pakistan is 262 for five with a lead of 115.
12.13pm: The rain has become lighter with plenty of sunshine on the pitch.
Play continues with Pakistan now at 360 for four.
12.09pm: Daryl Tuffey comes into the attack.
The groundstaff are ready with the covers as the rain comes out.
12.05pm: A slow start by the Pakistan batsman with both men having the tendency to block Martin and O'Brien's deliveries.
Only a single run has been made in the last four overs.
Will Daniel Vettori send in Martin Guptill to see if he can pull off some of his magic?
11.50am: Akmal (54 runs) and ul-Haq (7) push out the score to 356 for four.
Martin and O'Brien are still hot on the attack for the Black Caps.
An early wicket would heat things up.
11.35am: Akmal brings up his fifty with an awkward four runs off the second ball of the day.
Chris Martin pitches the ball half length outside off stump which catches an outside edge and flies between Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor to the boundary.
A close call for the Pakistani, it could've gone either way.
Iain O'Brien is the first change bowler in his final day of test cricket.
Pakistan are 351 for four, leading by 103 runs.
11.25am: Welcome to nzherald.co.nz's live updates from day five of the third and final test match between New Zealand and Pakistan at McLean Park in Napier.
With the series locked at one-all, today's opening hour is pivotal as the Black Caps search for an early breakthrough to expose the Pakistani tail before their lead gets out of hand.
Pakistan will start the day on 347-4, an overall lead of 99, with Umar Akmal on 47 and Misbah-ul-Haq on 4.
Play starts at 11.30am to make up for lost time yesterday but there could be more delays as showers are forecast for later in the day.
