Cairns took 5-79 in his farewell Test

New Zealand were in a commanding position in the final Test despite England hitting back with a flurry of late wickets.

They lead by 255 runs with five wickets remaining after reaching 190-5 at stumps on day three.

Earlier England had been bowled out for 319, losing their last five wickets for 94 runs.

Kiwi all-rounder Chris Cairns, playing in his farewell Test at his former home ground Trent Bridge, took 5-79.

New Zealand held a 65-run advantage after their first knock and added a further 94 for the first wicket in their second innings.

Mark Richardson, normally renowned for his resilient batting rather than extravagant strokeplay, threw off the shackles in his final appearance of the tour to blitz the England bowling attack.

But he fell one run short of a half-century when Ashley Giles trapped him lbw.

Then after tea Giles took his second wicket when Brendon McCullum, with just four on the board, handed Flintoff an easy catching chance at slip.

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But both captain Stephen Fleming and Scott Styris will feel aggrieved at their dismissals at the hands of umpire Simon Taufel, who had earlier upset Graham Thorpe.

Fleming was adjudged lbw to Flintoff for 45 but replays showed it would probably have gone over the top of the stumps.

And Styris had to walk for a caught behind although the ball was nowhere near the bat.

Astle became Flintoff's second victim when he was out for a duck, lbw again.

But England will have it all to do if they are to win the Trent Bridge Test and clinch a series clean sweep.

They batted poorly in the morning session and many gave away their wickets although Cairns enjoyed a memorable swansong at his former county ground.

Matthew Hoggard was the first-man out after his 37-ball five as a dogged nightwatchman.

He edged to Scott Styris in the slips off James Franklin.

Thorpe departed for 45 but in controversial circumstances with what seemed another misjudgement by Taufel.

He decided Thorpe had nicked the ball but replays showed the delivery had actually hit his pads.

Geraint Jones and Ashley Jones formed a useful 40-run partnership before Jones' downfall when he swished at a Styris delivery and was trapped lbw for 22.

Martin Saggers and Steve Harmison then departed without troubling the scorers to leave Giles stranded on 45 and England in a spot of trouble.

But with two days of the game remaining and an increasing benign pitch, England will not feel they are out of the game yet.