The Blackcaps are on the brink of an upset loss just days out from the start of their test series against England.
In their final chance to bat before the first test at Lord's on June 2, the Blackcaps were reduced at one stage to 9/5 by a First Class Counties XI, before being skittled for 148 on day three of the four-day warm-up match.
The Counties XI moved to 112/1 at stumps and need 152 runs to win on the final day.
After a sub-standard IPL campaign with Sunrisers Hyderabad, captain Kane Williamson continued his struggles, edging to first slip to be dismissed for a nine-ball duck.
Williamson was one of Jamie Porter's five wickets, as the seamer decimated the Blackcaps' top order.
Porter snared Will Young LBW with the third ball of the day, before snaring Williamson then striking twice in the next over to send Devon Conway (5) and Tom Blundell (0) packing.
Tim Southee helped wrestle back some momentum with a quickfire 34 off 17 balls and after Daryl Mitchell departed for 19, the tourists were left at 70/8.
A determined ninth-wicket stand of 63 runs by Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson - who both top-scored with 36 - saw the Blackcaps pass the 100-run mark.
Ajaz Patel had Dom Sibley caught behind for the Blackcaps' only wicket of the day.
First Class Counties XI 247 and 112/1 (Compton 56*, Ajaz 1-12) need 152 runs to beat Blackcaps 362/9 dec and 148 (Jamieson 36, Wagner 36, Porter 5-31)
