Tom Blundell struck a brilliant century to reel in England on Day II of the first pink-ball Test in Mount Maunganui on Friday but the wicketkeeper was left red-faced after costing New Zealand a late wicket in the evening session.

Blundell’s 138 from 181 balls on a glorious day at Bay Oval drove New Zealand to 306 in their reply to England’s declared first-innings total of 325/9.

England were 79/2 at stumps in their second innings, having lost openers Zak Crawley (28) and Ben Duckett (25) but pushed their lead to 98 runs under the floodlights.

Crawley and Duckett raced to a fifty-run partnership as New Zealand’s quicks derived little from the pink ball that had been a swinging menace on the opening night.

However, Blair Tickner made the breakthrough by having Duckett edge to Tom Latham at second slip before Crawley was caught behind with a bottom edge off Scott Kuggeleijn. A mix-up between Blundell and Kuggeleijn cost New Zealand a third wicket when a scoreless Stuart Broad top-edged into the night sky. As the man with the gloves, Blundell should have taken it but the ball dropped harmlessly, allowing nightwatchman Broad to stroll off six not out, with number three Ollie Pope on 14.

Though the wicket went begging, New Zealand had Blundell to thank for putting the match on level terms after the hosts were dominated on Day I and slumped to 83/5 on Friday.

The century was another bit of joy for Blundell who welcomed his second child into the world last week.

“It’s been a crazy week-and-a-half,” he told reporters.

“We had our second child Freddy, so it was an interesting week leading into the game. I hadn’t picked up a bat for a while.”