Stephen Fleming after making 66 in Napier on Tuesday . (AP)

Napier: Monty Panesar and Stuart Broad sparked a batting collapse from New Zealand to all but clinch the third Test, and series, after the fourth day’s play on Tuesday.

New Zealand, from a seemingly comfortable position at tea, lost three wickets for 13 after the break and ended the day on 222 for five, needing another 331 to win.

Ross Taylor (34) and Brendon McCullum (24) were at the crease Panesar ended with three for 49. Broad had two for 40.

To save the match on the fifth day, New Zealand must last a minimum of 90 overs from the England attack, with the victory target of 553 seemingly well beyond reach.

Should England complete victory on Wednesday, it would be the third time New Zealand have lost a three-Test series after winning the first match. They also lost a series 1-2 in South Africa in 1994-95 and in Sri Lanka in 1997-98.

Stephen Fleming and Matthew Bell resumed after tea on 146 for one and after Fleming took a single off the first ball, Bell fell without adding to his score two balls later when he lapped a ball from Panesar straight to Broad at deep backward square leg for 69.

Fleming had brought up his 46th Test half century and then passed 7,160 career Test runs to ensure he would end his international career with a Test average over 40 before tea.