Vice-captain Brendon McCullum was delaying the inevitable as New Zealand were two wickets away from an innings defeat to Australia in the second cricket test here today.
McCullum was unbeaten on 49 as New Zealand limped to tea at 167 for eight on the fourth day at Adelaide Oval, still 98 runs short of making Australia bat again.
It looked as if the match would end well before tea when Peter Fulton was bowled by Mitchell Johnson for seven just after lunch to make it 84 for six.
Captain Daniel Vettori departed for 13 and Tim Southee for 11, both against spinner Nathan Hauritz, but No 10 Iain O'Brien stood firm as McCullum hit out.
McCullum struck speedster Brett Lee for three consecutive boundaries just before tea to move within one of his 12th test half-century.
Lee, who took the first four New Zealand wickets, missed out in the middle session to have figures of four for 79 off 21 overs.
