Mitchell Santner’s 94 and more impressive New Zealand bowling moved the tourists close to victory over Somerset in the first game of their England tour.
The number three advanced from his overnight 70 to comfortably the highest score of the match, helping to set the hosts a stiff 344 to win at Taunton.
That target was a long way off with a day to go, Somerset sliding to 142 for six by stumps on day three.
Santner, who shared 124 with half-centurion Tom Latham yesterday, saw Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi caught behind off Jim Allenby before slicing Craig Overton to gully to miss out on a ton.
Somerset wicketkeeper Alex Barrow held two more catches, for four in the innings, the latter being BJ Watling for 46 off Tim Groenewald. Wicketkeeper Watling is in fine batting form, having made 65 in the first innings, the game’s next-highest score to Santner’s.
Groenewald, the seamer signed from Derbyshire last year, cleaned up the tail for figures of 5-65 and a career-best match return of 9-136 as the Black Caps were dismissed for 310.
Ben Wheeler, who stunningly took 5-18 previously in the contest, struck early to have Johann Myburgh lbw and Neil Wagner soon bowled Tom Cooper.
Opener Tom Abell and James Hildreth responded with a stand of 67 until Abell fell to spinner Mark Craig, who in his next over snared Allenby.
Doug Bracewell then struck twice in two overs, with Hildreth raising a smooth fifty between those wickets before ending the day unbeaten on 62 with Josh Davey for company.