* Nicholls unbeaten on 145 when NZ declare * Cook goes early England need to survive four more sessions
Trent Boult made an early breakthrough to increase the pressure on England in the first test against New Zealand as the visitors went to the dinner break on the fourth day on 38 for one, still needing 331 runs to make the hosts bat again.
Boult, whose 6-32 in the first innings helped bowl England out for 58, had a woefully out-of-form Alastair Cook caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper BJ Watling for two.
Mark Stoneman (18) and Joe Root (14) managed to take their side through to the break without further loss, despite facing some testing moments from New Zealand's new-ball attack of Boult and Tim Southee.
Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had declared his side's first innings at 427-8, a lead of 369 runs, about an hour into the middle session of the rain-affected day-night test.
Rain had washed out virtually all of the previous two days, with only 23.1 overs bowled by England on Friday and just 17 deliveries on Saturday.
Finally able to enjoy a period of uninterrupted play, Henry Nicholls advanced from his overnight score of 52 to reach his highest test score of 145 not out as England's bowlers made scoring difficult for the home side on Sunday.
The 26-year-old left-hander brought up his second test century with two runs punched in front of point off spin bowler Moeen Ali shortly before the tea break.
Watling (31), Colin de Grandhomme, whose 29 included five boundaries and a six, and Todd Astle (18) were all dismissed in the first session, with Stuart Broad taking two wickets.
Southee fell in the middle session for 25 when he was caught and bowled by Root shortly before the declaration. Neil Wagner was nine not out.
The second test, a standard daytime match, is at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from March 30-April 3.
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