Cook and Joe Root, out for 84, answered a desperate need by their team for someone to score big, after England started the day at 74-2 and 60 runs behind the Kiwis.They came together from the fourth ball of the day and survived searching spells of swing bowling by pacemen Trent Boult, Tim Southee and debutant Matt Henry, especially in the morning.
Cook, 32 overnight, continued where he left under lights on Saturday evening: Concentrated, no cracks in his wall, and offering no chances either. He was letting the ball come to him, and not wasteful of loose deliveries.
His century came after Root was dismissed, and not long before an early tea brought on by light drizzle.
On 99, Cook drove Henry out of mid-off's reach and ran three singles with Ben Stokes. He swiped the air with his bat, took his helmet off and saluted all four sidelines, while receiving a standing ovation. England's leading century-maker tied Alan Border and Graeme Smith on the all-time list. It was his fourth at Lord's, and third against New Zealand.
But more importantly, it was his seventh ton when England began a third innings with a deficit, the mark of a fighter.
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