England 350 and 44 for 0 (Lyth 24*, Cook 18*) need a further 411 to beat New Zealand 350 and 454 for 8 dec (Watling 120, Guptill 70, Craig 58*, McCullum 55)

Play01:03

New Zealand's enterprising cricket during the second Investec Test had put them in a position where only the weather or a record-breaking performance by England's batsmen could deny them a series-levelling victory. They scored quickly enough to be able to declare with more than five sessions left in the game but were thwarted in their initial attempts to claim any of the ten wickets required as heavy rainfall wiped out much of the fourth day at Headingley.

Less than 30 overs were bowled on Monday, a further significant loss of time in a Test that had suffered a curtailment on the first day. The unrelenting showers over Leeds effectively removed the already slim prospect of England chasing 455, while at the same time reducing the number of overs they would have to see out for a draw and a 1-0 series win.

England's openers, Alastair Cook and Adam Lyth, reached 44 for 0 in 13 overs either side of lunch, leaving a requirement of 411 from 98 overs on the final day. Even by the standards of a rip-roaring series, that would be something special.

Headingley has seen a few miracles but the odds of an England victory were north of 500/1. Still, if England's batsmen wished to clutch an omen to their breasts when marching out to brave the Leeds chill, history records that the last time two teams were tied on first-innings scores, West Indies pulled off the highest successful chase in Tests, against Australia at Antigua in 2003.

Perhaps more pertinently, only one team had ever scored more than 455 in the fourth innings - and that was in a timeless Test. Batting through the final day might be more manageable.

New Zealand declared around 12.15pm, having added 116 runs to their overnight 338 for 6 in just 16 overs. Brendon McCullum, almost certainly aware of the forecast for rain, gave his bowlers a crack at England before lunch but they could not make any early gains - although an exploratory over of spin from Mark Craig suggested that the challenge for survival would only increase.

New Zealand's formidable third-innings total was built around BJ Watling's century, an innings he extended to 120 while continuing to play in a crisp, compact manner, like a subaltern diligently going about his business. Craig and Tim Southee then resumed the more brazen approach that has been a hallmark of New Zealand's play in this match, crashing a series of boundaries during a stand of 67 off 52 balls.

Craig finished unbeaten on 58, his third Test half-century, and dealt severely with anything off line - though he was dropped on 24 when Stuart Broad could not hold a thumping drive diving to his left at mid-off. England's bowlers once again gave a desultory performance against the tail, with Matt Henry twice hooking Broad into the stands before McCullum called off the assault with the target beyond 450.

Henry's first blow meant that eight New Zealanders had hit sixes in the innings, a record in Tests. Broad also set a new bar, though one he will be less keen on remembering, conceding more than 200 runs in a match for the first time, at an economy - if you could call it that - of 6.12.

Cook, England's captain, strode out at the start of play wearing three jumpers to keep out the cold, while Broad kept his sleeveless sweater on while bowling. There was little else to warm them as New Zealand added almost 100 runs in the first hour.

James Anderson has been somewhat subdued in this series, creeping rather than charging past the 400-wicket mark, but he finally chiselled out Watling with a prancing delivery that took the glove and flew to the right of Joe Root at third slip, who swooped to take it with both hands.

Southee played and missed at five consecutive deliveries from Mark Wood before edging the sixth for four, high and to the right of an unmoving Ian Bell. Southee, grinning throughout, exchanged a fist bump with Craig, while England's fielders swapped dark looks. That was Southee's first scoring shot but he was soon piling in, taking Broad for 4-6-4-4 and closing in on his own New Zealand fastest fifty record before holing out to long-on against Moeen Ali.