New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls became the latest player to fall victim to the pace of Jofra Archer after being hit on the head by England's fearsome fast bowler during the first Test at Mount Maunganui.
Nicholls will undergo concussion checks before returning to the crease on Saturday after he was struck by an Archer bouncer shortly before stumps on the Day 2 against England.
He was immediately checked by medical staff when he was struck by the first ball of the penultimate over on Friday but stayed at the crease to guide New Zealand to 144-4, a first innings deficit of 209 runs. England had been dismissed for 353 after lunch.
The 28-year-old, who was on 26 at the close with BJ Watling on six, will need to be checked throughout Friday and before play resumes on Saturday, pace bowler Tim Southee said.
"He'll be assessed later on tonight and again in the morning, that's the protocol," said Southee, who sparked an England collapse in the first session and finished with figures of 4-88. "He's shaping up all right at the moment so fingers crossed he'll be right.
"He's a pretty tough character so he'll rest up tonight, a couple of Panadol and be back out there tomorrow."
New rules allow players to be replaced if they are ruled out of matches due to concussion. During the Ashes in August Australia's Marnus Labuschagne replaced Steve Smith after he was hit by an Archer bouncer.
During England's warm-up match against New Zealand A last week, home batsman Glenn Phillips was left with several bruises after coming up against a pumped-up Archer.
Phillips, who has won 11 Twenty20 caps for the Black Caps, was met with a succession of short balls that saw him hit on the body multiple times and also have to take evasive action to avoid being hit on the head several more.
"My goodness," Phillips said. "That was the quickest I've faced in my life. The challenge was unbelievable.
"He got me on the forearm, he nearly took my head off a couple of times and then he took me on the chest a couple of times.
"With Steve Smith getting hit a couple of months ago, it [the fear of injury] is in the back of your mind a bit as he's running in a bit. But he's not out there in trying to intentionally hurt anyone. It's more a tactical thing. If you're watching the ball, hopefully you should be OK. But if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time..."
The hosts had been well placed late on the second day before England's Sam Curran dismissed captain Kane Williamson for 51, reducing New Zealand to 127-4.
"I guess it would have been nice to be three down," Southee said. "But we've still got some batting to come and hopefully a couple of good partnerships and we can eke out some more runs."
