Captain Kane Williamson equalled the New Zealand record for Test centuries as his side reached 4-321 at stumps on day three of the third Test against South Africa in Hamilton.
The 26-year-old joined former captain Martin Crowe on 17 centuries when he hit a full toss from Dean Elgar to the fence.
Williamson moved to 148 not out by the end of play on Monday, the home side holding a seven-run lead over South Africa's first innings of 314.
Mitchell Santner is unbeaten on 13.
Williamson also surpassed 5,000 Test runs, the fastest New Zealander to do so in his 110th innings. Just five other of his countrymen have reached the mark.
The skipper shared in a 190-run partnership with opener Jeet Raval, who passed 50 for the fifth time and proved the perfect foil to the New Zealand skipper during a knock of 88.
The lefthander was dropped on 83 by South Africa captain Faf du Plessis and then got bogged down as he battled against the second new ball.
He failed to score a run for 25 deliveries before hitting Kagiso Rabada for a boundary but he fell shortly after when wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock took a brilliant, diving one-handed catch from an inside edge off Morne Morkel.
Tom Latham was the first wicket to fall when the opener became Morkel's 250th Test scalp during the first session which was delayed for 90 minutes due to overnight rain.
Rabada slowed New Zealand's momentum in the final hour of play when he trapped Neil Broom lbw for 12 and then had Henry Nicholls caught by De Kock with his next delivery. Santner, however, thwarted the hat-trick ball.
South Africa lead the series 1-0 having won the second game in Wellington by eight wickets.
The rain-hit first Test in Dunedin ended in a draw.
