NZ struggling in Napier ...

Day four's final session saw not only Stephen Fleming's Test career brought to an end, but New Zealand's series hopes as well - closing at 222-5 in pursuit of 553 against England in Napier.

When going to tea at 146-1 with Fleming, playing the final match of his 111-Test career, on 60 and Matthew Bell on 69, the home side dared to dream of a world record chase.

However, four wickets fell for 76 between tea and stumps courtesy of four shots that will want to be forgotten in a hurry, having lost only Jamie How (11) at 48 - New Zealand's highest opening partnership of the series - between lunch and tea.

Bell was the first to go without adding to his tea score, playing a feeble half-pull to a Monty Panesar long-hop and was caught at deep backward square. A century might've confirmed his plane ticket for the England tour; as it is his place is in serious doubt despite scoring his only half-century in the last three Tests.

Four overs later, Fleming's 14-year international career was over when he poked at a wide ball from Panesar and was caught behind for 66. His record will show a total of 7172 runs, giving him a final average of 40.06 with 46 half-centuries and nine centuries.

With him went New Zealand's chance of sending him off in style. All that was left was for batsmen to secure spots for England, an opportunity that Mathew Sinclair and Grant Elliot may soon find they threw away along with their wickets.

On a slow, low pitch, Sinclair was undone by a Stuart Broad short ball and gloved to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose for a painstaking six, then Elliot tried to pull the same bowler and could only spoon it to Ian Bell at bat-pad.

Ross Taylor (34) and Brendon McCullum (24) - who was dropped in the final over of the day by Kevin Pietersen in the gully - fought hard through to stumps and will do so again in the morning, but even batting out for a draw looks a bridge too far.

Despite Jeetan Patel's assertion that Panesar wouldn't come into the match until 'late on the final afternoon', he was England's early destroyer and took 3-49 from 31 piercing overs. Broad was an able lieutenant in snaring 2-40.

Earlier in the day, England declared on 467-7, losing the wickets of overnight batsmen Andrew Strauss (177) and Tim Ambrose (31).

Strauss resumed in the morning 27 runs away from his maiden double century, but was caught at mid-off off Jeetan Patel when he tried to loft him over the top.

Highlights Day 4 :

It was nonetheless his highest Test score, coming from 343 balls including 25 fours, unseating his previous best of 147 against South Africa in 2005.

He was dismissed off the 11th ball of the morning, and Tim Ambrose departed three balls later when he was caught and bowled by Daniel Vettori.

Stuart Broad then opened the hips and pounded an unbeaten 31 of his own in combination with Sidebottom's 12. When Broad hit Patel straight for a huge six, captain Michael Vaughan declared the innings closed.

Vettori's wicket gave him figures of 4-158 in a marathon 45-over effort, while fellow spinner Patel had 2-104 from 30.5.

In the unlikely event that New Zealand does chase down the further 331 it requires, it would easily unseat the West Indies' successful fourth innings record of 418-7 against Australia in 2003.