England batted themselves into trouble with a grit-and-grind response to the flamboyance of Ross Taylor which left them with much more work to do against New Zealand at Old Trafford.
Andrew Strauss eked out his third consecutive half-century against these opponents.
But it was Taylor (154no) who provided all the highlights of an otherwise attritional second day of the second Test, which England finished on a vulnerable 152 for four in reply to the Black Caps' first-innings 381.
After Taylor had lit up the sun-bathed Manchester crowd with a 176-ball innings which featured five sixes and 17 fours, England's top order did not concern themselves with entertainment value.
Instead, against a Kiwi attack intent on making every run a triumph, Strauss (60) needed 140 balls to reach a 50 containing just five boundaries with captain Michael Vaughan even more restrained.
It seemed his reward might come with wicket intact and power to add at stumps.
But he fell lbw on the front-foot defence to his opposite number Daniel Vettori, having taken 44 overs for his 30 runs - and when nightwatchman Ryan Sidebottom also went caught at slip before the close, England needed unbeaten batsmen Kevin Pietersen (22 not out) and Ian Bell (four no) to make big runs tomorrow.
Their bowlers had earlier taken a caning from Taylor, who made up for New Zealand's comical loss of two wickets to run-outs in one over - and the continued absence of the injured Daniel Flynn.
On a pitch which had good pace for shot-making, Taylor showed how it could be done - whereas England had to wait for the entrance of Pietersen deep into the final hour before there was any suggestion of momentum.
Before then, Iain O'Brien had first seen off Alastair Cook courtesy of a debatable lbw verdict with a ball which pitched on the line of the stumps but seamed back in so much to the left-hander that it was probably barely clipping leg-stump - with height also an issue.
There were no doubts at all about O'Brien's second wicket, for which he had Brendon McCullum to thank when the wicketkeeper reacted superbly and athletically to take a one-handed catch low to his left to see off Strauss.
Taylor's second Test hundred against England in as many months was full of exhilarating batting.
Having scored his only previous century against Vaughan's men in Hamilton, the 24-year-old shared stands of 113 with Jacob Oram and 89 for the seventh wicket with Kyle Mills (57).
Taylor was blameless too when first Oram and then his captain Vettori shot themselves in the foot to arrest New Zealand's progress before lunch.
After resuming on 202 for four, the Kiwis could ill-afford the self-inflicted blows after learning Flynn would not be fit enough to bat again in the innings.
He had one of his front teeth knocked out by a Jimmy Anderson bouncer yesterday - and then suffered nausea since having emergency dental work last night.
Back on the field, Taylor and Oram took their stand into three figures in only 22 overs - until the tall left-hander paid for a loss of concentration.
Oram, having just survived a tough caught-behind chance when he mis-hooked Stuart Broad and then a swirling missed catch by Anderson at deep mid-on off Monty Panesar, made no obvious haste responding to Taylor's call for a single.
Cook did the rest with a direct hit from backward point.
Vettori was still more culpable than Oram, easing in for a comfortable second run into the leg-side - again off Broad - only to fail to ground any part of his bat or body as wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose took the bails off.
But Taylor's new partner Mills was a revelation. The number nine had never made a Test 50 before but got himself moving with a sweep for six off Panesar on his way to a maiden half-century which came up in 74 balls either side of lunch.
He eventually fell to the second new ball, up on his tiptoes trying to cut Anderson but getting an under-edge on to the base of his stumps.
Taylor, who had allowed Mills to dominate, went on the attack again - taking particular toll of Sidebottom, who disappeared for a six over long-on and another maximum slogged over midwicket.
He gave his only chance on 142 when he smeared Sidebottom to cover, where Bell could not hold a tough chance.
Anderson took the last three wickets to finish with four for 118 - but still went for almost six an over.
They were figures which were put into significant contest by the close, after Vettori had bowled 19 overs for 40 and Oram eight for only five.
