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Pakistan 128 for 0 (Butt 66*, Farhat 55*) and 223 trail New Zealand 471 (Vettori 134, Tuffey 80*, Tuffey 76*, Kaneria 7-168) by 120 runs

Pakistan openers Imran Farhat and Salman Butt compiled a century partnership to haul their side back towards parity in the decisive third Test in Napier.

New Zealand had opened up a first-innings lead of 248 as captain Daniel Vettori's century and a Test-best 80 not out from Daryl Tuffey saw them to 471 despite Danish Kaneria's seven-wicket haul.

But Farhat, who had fought a lone vigil with 117 not out in Pakistan's first-innings collapse to 223 all out, was 55 not out at the close with Butt unbeaten on 66 as the tourists reached 128 without loss.

Vettori and Tuffey had pushed on in the morning session, the former resuming on 100 and quickly hitting his stride with two boundaries in the third over of the day, bowled by Umar Gul.

Tuffey survived some early nerves and was dropped by Gul but brought up the 50 partnership when he cut Kaneria for four.

Vettori clipped Mohammad Asif to the boundary to bring up the 400 but escaped a strong lbw appeal - Pakistan unable to call for a review having used up their allocation the previous day - before falling to Umar Akmal's stunning catch in the following over.

Tim Southee followed third ball before Tuffey brought up his maiden Test half-century - in 88 balls - with a four through the covers off Asif, and then hoisted Kaneria into the stands for six for a second time.

The hosts added just five runs after lunch as Iain O'Brien was neatly stumped by Kamran Akmal for 19, having put on 62 with Tuffey.

That left the latter reliant on Chris Martin - Test average 2.30 - to see him through to a century.

And the improbable - arguably unfeasible - did not happen as Martin contrived to be dropped by Misbah-ul-Haq on the way to a four-ball duck, the 28th time he has been dismissed for nought in a Test innings.

The routine lbw - Martin grasping hopelessly down the wrong line - meant Kaneria ended with figures of seven for 168.

Farhat glanced the second ball of Pakistan's second innings from Martin to the fine leg boundary as he made a confident start, though he was fortunate when an edge fell just short of wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.

Butt, meanwhile, got off the mark first ball with a two and started his innings responsibly, breaking the shackles only when overpitched deliveries gave him license to do so.

He began to prey on the short ball as his confidence grew, cracking three boundaries in quick succession from back-of-a-length deliveries.

Farhat brought up the 50 stand with his fourth boundary and, shortly afterwards, McCullum fumbled a ball onto the fielders' helmet to concede a five-run penalty.

Both batsmen settled down to play for tea, with Butt 34 not out at the interval and his partner just two runs behind.

Farhat suddenly produced a slog-sweep for six in the fourth over of the evening session and survived a half-hearted stumping appeal shortly afterwards when replays suggested he was in danger.

He settled into a run of singles and dot balls thereafter, breaking cover only to slice a loose drive at O'Brien through the gully for four.

Butt played sedately until he edged a slower ball from Tuffey between slip and gully to the fence and savagely pulled the same bowler for another boundary two overs later.

He reached 50 from 126 balls and soon hit O'Brien for back-to-back fours before playing out time until the close.

Farhat, meanwhile, edged O'Brien just short of Ross Taylor at slip, but recovered to heave Martin Guptill back over his head for a one-bounce four to end a scoreless stretch of 23 balls after reaching a 134-ball half-century.

The pair's dogged work means Pakistan will resume 120 runs behind, with all their wickets intact and two fascinating days in prospect.