Anderson breaks Black Caps partnership

James Anderson moved to within four wickets of 300 in Tests as England at last broke the partnership between Peter Fulton and Kane Williamson at Eden Park.

Anderson produced a perfect ball to find Williamson's outside edge in backward defence as the New Zealand number three went caught-behind for 91 to end a stand of 181.

Williamson was gone after a 199-ball stay, in which he had hit 15 fours and looked a class act throughout. Stoic opener Fulton (129no) stayed put, contributing just five runs as the Kiwis moved from 250 for one to 274 for two in an hour's play on day two of this final Test.

Fulton almost ground to a halt, having passed his maiden hundred on Friday, as England starved him of scoring opportunities through his favoured leg-side.

He took 100 balls to score 28 runs, after reaching three-figures, including 23 spent stuck on 124.

That sequence was broken when he clipped an Anderson inswinger aerially through midwicket for three to take his total leg-side runs to 101.

New batsman Ross Taylor tried to energise proceedings, striking Stuart Broad on the up past extra-cover for four and calling a series of sharp singles to rotate the strike.

The hosts therefore remained well-placed to dominate the remainder of a match being played on a surface which loaded the odds in favour of the batsmen.