New Zealand's Devon Conway made exactly 200 on his Test debut before opener Rory Burns and captain Joe Root helped steady the England ship after they lost two early wickets in the second Test at Lord's.
Kiwi opener Conway was last man out in a first-innings total of 378 after a wonderful knock that saw him become only the seventh man to make a double century on his Test debut.
England were then quickly lost Dom Sibley for a duck and Zak Crawley for two, before Burns (59 not out) and Root (unbeaten on 42) saw England through to close in a third-wicket stand of 93.
Earlier, South Africa-born left-hander Conway was in sight of becoming the very first batsman in the 144-year history of Test cricket to carry their bat throughout the entire innings in their first knock in the format when he was run out to end a stay of more than nine-and-a-half hours.
It still needed a review of a close call before it was confirmed Root had taken the bails off in time. Conway faced 347 balls, with 22 fours and went to 200 in style when he hooked fast bowler Mark Wood for the only six of his innings.
New Zealand No 11 Neil Wagner, also born in South Africa, made 25 not out off 21 balls that included a superb straight six off Stuart Broad during an entertaining last-wicket stand of 40.
Debutant Ollie Robinson, a day after apologising for historical racist and sexist tweets, picked up two more wickets to end with 4-75, while James Anderson took 2-83.
New Zealand, who face India in the inaugural World Test Championship final at Southampton later this month, then struck twice despite being without left-arm spearhead Trent Boult, who had been on family leave following a stint in the Indian Premier League.
Towering paceman Kyle Jamieson had Sibley lbw for a duck with a ball that straightened the decision upheld on 'umpire's call' after a review. But there was no room for doubt when Crawley was caught behind off Tim Southee for two.
New Zealand resumed on 246-3, with Conway 136 not out, but they lost four wickets for just six runs as they slumped from 288-3 to 294-7, with paceman Mark Wood leading the charge.
Conway shared a fourth-wicket stand of 174 with Henry Nicholls before his fellow left-hander was caught holed out to long leg off Wood for 61 by England debutant Ollie Robinson.
Wood then removed BJ Watling for just one, with the aid of a sharp slip catch by Sibley.
Fellow seamer Robinson, who took two wickets on Wednesday, then had Colin de Grandhomme lbw for nought on review, with Mitchell Santner also out for a duck when he chipped Wood to mid-off.
Robinson, however, was deprived of a place on the Lord's honours board when Broad dropped Southee at mid-off to deny him a fifth wicket.
