[Live commentary has finished]
Stumps: New Zealand 394/6 (Watling 119*, Santner 31*, Stokes 2/37)
England 353
Wrap:What a superb effort from the Blackcaps The pitch has been flat, but you still have to score when the opportunities present themselves. BJ Watling has been magnificent on his way to a typically gritty, unbeaten 119.
He was supported well by Henry Nicholls and Colin de Grandhomme before Santner stuck about in the evening session.
141st over - Last over of the day will be bowled by Ben Stokes. Santner some how survives the final four balls of short pitch bowling from Stokes and that's the end of play.
140th over - Watling gets a single to mid-on. Three from the over.
139th over - Ben Stokes returns - 2/36 from 14 overs. Maiden for Stokes ... had Santner in trouble with the short ball.
138th over - Stuart Broad is back for a couple overs before stumps. 0/40 from 23. Two runs from the ovver for Watling.
137th over - Maiden from Archer to Santner.
136th over - Maiden from Leach.
135th over - Watling trapped in front and Archer is up and the umpire raises the finger. Watling reviews straight away .... and for good reason. He got a big inside edge on that.
134th over - Short from Leach and Santner punches to cover for three.
133rd over - Santner gets lucky .... he flicks a short one to the mid-wicket area in the air but no fielder there and he gets one. Four more for Watling, this time through point as he punches Archer off the back foot.
132nd over - Leach goes right through Santner with a big turner but it bounces over middle and Buttler can't grab it either ... 3 byes. Watling has four down the ground with nothing more than a gentle push ... well timed that.
131st over - Santner breaks the run of dot bals with a single on the offside.
130th over - Maiden from Leach to Watling.
129th over - Maiden for Archer to Santner .... lots of short stuff is the plan to Mitch but he is surviving.
128th over - Short and wide from Leach and Watling punches nicely to the cover boundary for four.
127th over - Jofra Archer is back - 0/76 from 24 overs. Maiden bowled by the quick to Mitch Santner ... lots of short stuff.
126th over - Leach will continue. Two singles from the over and that's the fifty partnership for this pair.
Drinks
125th over - Curran over pitches and Watling drives superbly down the ground for four. Watling gets a single to fine-leg ... moves to 99. Santner gets three with a lofted shot to cow corner. HUNDRED for BJ Watling!! Raise the bat young man and he does for the 8th time in his test career and becomes the first century maker in test cricket at the Bay Oval.
124th over - Jack Leach is back - 1/83 from 30 overs. Watling grabs a single from the last ball to keep the strike.
123rd over - Sam Curran replaces Stokes - 2/60 from 21 overs. Watling gets four to fine-leg ... just beats leg-slip for a fortunate boundary. Scores level. Wating turns to the legside for a single and NZ have a 1st innings lead.
122nd over - Five runs from the Joe Root over.
121st over - Maiden from Stokes to Mitch Santner.
120th over - Joe Root replaces Leach - 1/19 from 8. Santner down the wicket and over long-on for six!
119th over - Watling gets four square on the offside through gully.
118th over - Santner gets two down the ground on a Jofra Archer misfield at mid-off. Short from Leach and Santner rocks back and hits him through cover for his first boundary.
117th over - Maiden from Stokes to BJ Watling.
116th over - Maiden from Leach to Mitch Santner.
115th over - Stokes is alll over Santner here ... comes around the wicket and hits him in ribs. Santner gets a single from the last.
114th over - A couple of singles from the Jack Leach over.
113th over - Very good testing over from Stokes as Santner. They are attacking his ribs with short stuff.
112th over - Jack Leach will bowl - 1/73 from 26 overs. Santner comes forward and it's right through the gate but misses off and Buttler can't gather and they run two byes. Big turn there for Leach.
Colin de Grandhomme c Sibley b Stokes 65 (108) 7x4's ax6 FOW 316
111th over - WICKET: Ben Stokes will open up the session for England. 1/27 from 8 overs. What an absolute stunning catch! First ball after Tea and de Grandhomme plays a safe enough looking shot but Dom Sibley has pulled of quite the speculator at gully. Short from Stokes, CDG guides it and plays it well enough, but Sibley dives to his right and takes a low one-handed grab.
Evening session
TEA: Outstanding session for New Zealand, keeping their wickets intact and scoring 92 runs, edging within 37 runs of the England total of 353.
De Grandhomme enjoyed a few moments of beligerence during that session, but Watling was safe as a house, as he nears a possible eighth test century.
110th over - Burns has split his thumb and it's being glued back together. Leach returns for perhaps the last over before tea.
Just one run off the over and the umpires call tea.
109th over - Watling plays Curran off his hip for a boundary on the onside. He's taken control of this partnership again.
108th over - De Grandhoome has another prod at Broad and misses contact - just. That's a maiden.
Broad asks a question of the umpire, after CDG wanders down the pitch to the last ball.
107th over - Watling breaks up a Curran maiden with a couple of runs off the fifth over.
106th over - De Grandhoome has a swish at Broad's second ball and fortunately doesn't make contact. He leaves the next ball - a similar delivery.
105th over - The 'Barmy Army' are trying to liven proceedings, as Curran returns, He has a very attacking field and de Grandhomme edges to gully, where Burns drops the catch, splits his finger and heads to the pavilion.
104th over - Watling cuts the first delivery from Broad at Sibley, fielding close on the off-side. It knocks a bandage off Sibley's thumb.
Watling hits Broad to the boundary two balls later.
103rd over - Watling sweeps Leach to the rope to bring up the century partnership off 92 balls, pretty swift scoring for a test. That also brings up the NZ 300.
102nd over - Broad to resume, so just five overs from Archer. It's a maiden.
101st over - Watling edges Leach into the slips region, but the ball falls short of Stokes and runs away for a single.
100th over - Watling stands up and dispatches Archer to the boundary off the first ball. He keeps out a 142kph yorker.
99th over - Just a couple of singles off Leach.
98th over - Archer resumes after the break and he definitely seemed to speed up in that last over, especially after the unsuccessful appeal.
De Grandhomme edges the third ball over the slips cordon, but there's a man on the boundary waiting to stop further runs. Four balls over 140kph in that over.
97th over - De Grandhome cuts Leach's first ball to the boundary, beating the diving fielder - he's now passed Watling off half as many balls.
Drinks break.
96th over - Archer bounces one clear over everyone's head for five byes, then de Grandhomme brings up his seventh test fifty with two off his next ball.
Archer's fifth ball (fourth legal) raps Watling on the pads and Roots wants to reivew the not out decision. It's barely clearing the stumps, so decision stands and England lose their review.
The next ball is 152kph - things are heating up.
95th over - A wee quiet period here, as Watling and de Grandhomme nudge Leach around.
94th over - Archer's first ball is 144kph, but the Blackcaps duo are untroubled by the over, taking just a single to progress the scoring.
93rd over - Leach to bowl his spin from the other end - just two runs from it.
92nd over - Archer into the attack. He's not really at top speed yet and de Grandhoome scoops his fifth ball for a six, then cuts for four.
91st over - De Grandhoome plays a replica of the boundaries a couple of overs ago to find the rop again and bring up New Zealand's 250 off Broad.
He drives at Broad's fourth ball, but his edge falls short of third slip.
90th over - Watling nudges Curran for a single and celebrates his 18th test fifty. While he's a tthe crease, you feel good about New Zealand's ability to stick around and work on this total.
89th over - De Grandhomme hooks at Broad's first ball and luckily it falls short of the field.
88th over - Just the single off Curran's next over, with de Grandhomme scuttling through.
87th over - De Grandhomme drives Broad this time, but the ball is cut off just short of the boundary.
86th over - De Grandhomme drives pleasantly through the offside for four, then a square cut to the boundary off curran's final ball. He must really struggle to keep his natural instincts in check for test cricket.
85th over - One run to Watling off Broad's first over of the afternoon.
84th over - Just a couple of runs off the bat of de Grandhomme, who let a couple of Curran's deliveries past and struggled for timing on a couple of others.
The teams are taking the field for the afternoon session, with New Zealand slowly whittling away at the England lead - they've avoided the follow-on, so that's always good.
Curran will open the session with the new ball.
LUNCH: Time for lunch at Bay Oval. The Blackcaps trail by 129 in a successful season for the hosts.
England only claimed one wicket, with very few chances for more. Expect England to use the new ball after lunch.
83rd over - Two more singles and that brings an end to the session, with the Blackcaps at 224/5.
82nd over - BJ Watling is getting closer and closer to his 50, as he adds another single to his score.
81st over - Two singles from the over. New Zealand's partnership is now at 23. Probably two more overs till lunch. New Zealand are 221/5.
80th over - Jack Leach bowls a maiden over than now England has the option to take the new ball and looks like they'll wait to use it as the umpire puts it in his pocket.
79th over - Another steady over from the Blackcaps. BJ Watling is now on 41, while de Grandhomme ends the over with another four down to the third man boundary.
78th over - Colin de Grandhomme gets his first boundary of the test, as he plays the ball through backward point.
77th over - Joe Root claims another maiden over with the ball. The England captain looks good with the nut.
76th over - Another steady over for New Zealand as they chip away at England's lead with four singles, bringing their score to 208/5.
75th over - Two singles in the over, one of them sees Colin de Grandhomme get off the mark.
74th over - Now we can start to say that BJ Watling is getting closer to 50, as a single brings his score to 37.
73rd over - Joe Root backs up his wicket over with a maiden. Colin de Grandhomme still waiting to get off the mark.
72nd over - New Zealand pass the 200 mark with a Watling four. They now trail by 152 runs.
H Nicholls lbw b Root 41 (125b 5x4) FOW 197
71st over - WICKET - After escaping in the last over, Henry Nicholl's luck has run out as Joe Root claims in by LWB, and a dramatic over. BJ Watling starts the over with a four. Off the next ball, Ben Stokes drops the Blackcaps wicket-keeper. Should have been a simple catch in the slips, but he butchers it. Then comes the magical ball by Root to dismiss Nicholls for 41. The Blackcaps are now 197/5.
70th over - Jack Leach into the attack for England. Nicholls gets closer and closer to that 50, but on the next ball, the ball hits the pads and England appeal for a wicket and the umpire raises his finger. Nicholls decides to appeal at the last moment ,and it was the right decision as it outside the line.
69th over - BJ Watling hits Ben Stokes through the covers for four. The partnership is now at 59 runs.
68th over - Another costly Archer over. He bounces one over Watling, and it goes for four byes, and then a no-ball from the next delivery.
67th over - Henry Nicholls is edging closer to 50 as he hits the ball behind square off to the ropes. He's now on 36, and New Zealand are 176/4.
66th over - Jofra Archer has a full over at Nicholls, and it is another maiden. New Zealand have scored 26 runs in the first hour, bringing the current partnership to 43 runs. Time for a drinks break.
65th over - Just one run to Henry Nicholls from that Stokes over.
64th over - An experience over from Jofra Archer. Most of the time, it would be fine, but in terms of how slow things are, it's slow. His penultimate ball goes for four leg byes, which I backed up with two runs from Watling to end the over.
63rd over - Ben Stokes comes into the attack and his first over of the day is a maiden.
62nd over - BJ Watling remains patient and hits a four down to third man off the shoulder of the bat. He gets a single two balls later. Then there is an appeal for the wicket of Henry Nicholls. The umpire doesn't raise his finger, but England appeal. Replays show he smashed it into the pad, so that's a wasted review for England. Blackcaps now 162/4.
61st over - Broad continues his great start with the ball, as he brings up another maiden. Nicholls has now faced 100 balls.
60th over - Jofra Archer comes into the attack for England, replacing Sam Curran. Watling hits Archer for two through cover on the fifth ball in the over.
59th over - Another maiden over for Stuart Broad. That's seven in 14 overs now.
58th over - The Blackcaps get a few more runs in the over. Slow and steady for New Zealand. Blackcaps now 150/4.
57th over - It's taken a long time, but the Blackcaps get a run. Watling hits the ball out to deep point for a single.
56th over - That's three overs now without a run as Curran completes his sixth maiden.
55th over - Another maiden to Stuart Broad. That's his sixth in 12 overs with the ball.
54th over - England appeal for an LBW on Watling, but the umpire doesn't put his finger up. It was more Jos Buttler appealing more so than bowler Sam Curran. Ends up as a maiden over.
53rd over - Stuart Broad returns for England, bowling around the wicket. Just one leg bye in the over.
52nd over - Henry Nicholls gets a single to get things started on day three. Then BJ Watling hits Sam Curran for four.
10:50 am - Sam Surran spoke to Sky Sports UK about the importance of removing Kane Williamson on day two of the test.
"Obviously he's a world-class player so it's nice to say that I've got him out but the main thing is that we've got their best player out and now we get into the middle order," he said. "We're pretty pleased with the way the day ended.
"With a few more rollers in the morning, the wicket may start being a bit uneven.
"Fingers crossed that will suit us and there can be a few more and it gets worse as the game goes on because, most likely, we'll be bowling last and they'll be the ones batting.
"We obviously want to be batting as soon as we can and get a big, big lead. It's going to be an exciting game."
9:50 am - Some positive news with Henry Nicholls set to start day three at the crease alongide BJ Watling. New Zealand trail England by 209 runs with six wickets in hand.
Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the first cricket test between the Blackcaps and England at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui.
New Zealand will start day three on 144/4 with BJ Watling (six) and Henry Nicholls (26) at the crease. Yesterday, Nicholls was hit in the head by the Jofra Archer bouncer and had to ungergo concussion tests before playing. It appears he's been given the green light to continue.
Play will start at 11am.
On day two, the Blackcaps bowled England out for 353 just after lunch. Ben Stokes led the way for the visitors with 91, while Tim Southee was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with 4/88.
Of course, this particular match-up has taken on greater significance this year - no so much in the test format - after the pulsating climax at the Cricket World Cup, where England pipped New Zealand on a countback of boundaries in the final.
Then, two weeks ago, the T20 series decided at Eden Park also went into extra time, with the tourists again prevailing in a 'super over'.
In the longer format, New Zealand sit poised for their 100th test victory some time this summer, currently sitting on 98, after their victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo three months ago.
The Blackcaps last beat England (by an innings and 49 runs) at Eden Park in March 2018, after dismissing their rivals for 58 runs in the first innings. Skipper Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls both scoring centuries, and Trent Boult (6/32 & 3/67) turned in a man-of-the-match performance with the ball.
Squads
England: Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Joe Denly, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad.
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.
