Jack Leach grabbed three wickets and James Anderson another one to reduce New Zealand to 6-96 at tea on day two of the second Test against England.
The hosts are still 339 runs adrift after England declared their first innings on 8-435 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
New Zealand wicketkeeper Tom Blundell was 12 not out after Ollie Pope took a second brilliant catch in close to dismiss No.6 Daryl Mitchell for 12, with spinner Leach’s final ball of the session.
New Zealand’s hopes of levelling the series faded fast through a chaotic session in overcast conditions.
England, however, moved into the box seat, courtesy of a 302-run partnership between Harry Brook and Joe Root.
Though Brook’s hopes of a maiden double-century were dashed early on day two when he was caught and bowled for 186 by Matt Henry, Root rolled on and finished with an unbeaten 153.
England captain Ben Stokes’ declaration paid off as veteran paceman Anderson removed opener Devon Conway for a duck and No.3 Kane Williamson for four as New Zealand limped to 2-12 at lunch.
Anderson struck with his third ball after the break, having No.4 Will Young caught behind for two.
It was Anderson’s third caught-behind wicket for the day and probably the best of them, the ball pitching perfectly to make Young play but moving back off the seam to catch the outside edge of a straight bat.
Like England on day one, New Zealand were 3-21 at that stage but there was no big partnership forthcoming to rescue them.
Opener Tom Latham (35) and Henry Nicholls (30) made starts but were culpable in their dismissals from botched reverse-sweeps off Leach.
Latham was caught at slip by Root when the ball pinged off the wrist-band of his glove and he wasted a review trying to have the decision overturned.
Nicholls had a top-edge pinging off his elbow and looping over his shoulder, with Pope lunging to his left to take a smart, one-handed catch in close.
Leach and Pope combined again on the last ball, the fielder showing brilliant anticipation at silly point to pluck another one-handed catch as Mitchell hit off the face of the bat.
England started the day on 3-315, with Brook and Root looking to carry on after dominating a rain-hit day one.
After Henry ended their epic stand, Stokes smashed a quickfire 27 off 28 balls before he was caught slogging a Neil Wagner delivery to mid-off.
That triggered a mini-collapse as England lost 3-27, with spin bowling all-rounder Michael Bracewell trapping Foakes (0) and Stuart Broad (14) lbw.
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Root remained and was superb as his batting partners dwindled, thrashing the New Zealand bowlers for 10 fours and three sixes in his 224-ball knock.
He flicked a Henry delivery over backward square for four to get past 150 and trigger Stokes’ declaration.
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