KEY POINTS:
England have set New Zealand a mammoth target of 553 to win the third and final cricket test and take the series 2-1 at McLean Park here today.
England, starting the fourth day with a lead of 501, declared their second innings closed on 467 for seven after adding 51 in 9.5 overs.
New Zealand have a maximum of 168 overs to reach the target and need to score at a rate of 3.3 runs per over.
Andrew Strauss, his sights on a double century, was out to the 11th ball of the day when he was caught by Matthew Bell at mid-off for 177 after adding four to his overnight score.
Strauss batted more than eight hours, faced 343 balls and struck 25 boundaries while posting his 11th test century.
Fellow overnight batsman Tim Ambrose also made little impact today, adding three to his 28 before Daniel Vettori took am easy return catch the over after Strauss departed.
Stuart Broad was unbeaten on 31 and Ryan Sidebottom 12 when Michael Vaughan called the pair in 30 minutes into the morning session.
Vettori ended with four for 158 off 45 overs, while Jeetan Patel, who ended Strauss's resistance, took two for 104 from 30.5.
For the second time in successive tests New Zealand have been set a world record run chase.
In Wellington last week New Zealand needed 438 to win the second test, they fell 126 runs short as England squared the series.
The highest successful chase in test history is the West Indies' 418-run overhaul of Australia at Antigua in 2003.
New Zealand's highest successful run chase is 324 for five against Pakistan at Christchurch in 1994.
Should England prevail it will be the third time New Zealand have lost a three-test series after leading 1-0.
They did same thing against South Africa in 1995 and Sri Lanka in 1997.
Of the five previous tests played at the ground, only one has not ended in a draw.
In 1995 New Zealand were beaten by Sri Lanka by 241 runs after being set 427 for victory.
SCOREBOARD
England
First innings 253
New Zealand
First innings 168
England
Second innings (416-5 overnight)
A Cook c McCullum b Patel 37
M Vaughan c McCullum b Martin 4
A S trauss c Bell b Patel 177
K Pietersen c Taylor b Vettori 34
I Bell c Sinclair b Vettori 110
P Collingwood c and B Vettori 22
T Ambrose c and b Vettori 31
S Broad not out 31
R Sidebottom not out 12
Extras (3lb, 1w, 5nb) 9
Total (for 7 wkts dec, 131.5 overs) 467
Fall: 5 (Vaughan), 77 (Cook), 140 (Pietersen), 327 (Bell), 361 (Collingwood), 424 (Strauss), 425 (Ambrose)
Bowling: C Martin 18-2-60-1 (1w), T Southee 24-5-84-0, G Elliott 14-1-58-0, J Patel 30.5-4-104-2 (1nb), D Vettori 45-6-158-4 (4nb)
- NZPA
