Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor scored centuries before rain hammered home England's misery in a washed-out second Test in Hamilton to hand New Zealand another series win.

Dark clouds and heavy afternoon rain forced an abandonment at 3:55pm local time and summed up the mood of the butter-fingered tourists, who will return home 1-0 losers following the innings defeat at Mount Maunganui.

State of play: England and New Zealand drew their second Test in Hamilton, when play was abandoned before tea on day five

England and New Zealand drew their second Test in Hamilton, when play was abandoned before tea on day five New Zealand defeated England 1-0 for their sixth successive home series victory

New Zealand defeated England 1-0 for their sixth successive home series victory The Black Caps begin their three-Test series against Australia in Perth on December 12

The biggest moment of the final day came for all the wrong reasons, in a sequence the tourists' Joe Denly will want to forget.

We don't know if Denly is superstitious, but he certainly saw a ball from a Black Cap that brought him no luck.

To say it was an easy chance is the understatement of the year.

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Bowling to New Zealand skipper Williamson on 62, Archer opted for a knuckleball, and dropped his front arm right before release.

The delivery surprised Williamson so much that he got through his shot too quickly, and popped the ball directly to Denly at midwicket.

The ball lobbed into his hands, and Archer was already beginning to celebrate when the England fielder inexplicably let it slip through his fingers.

Jofra Archer had the easiest wicket of his career snatched away, when Joe Denly (out of shot) dropped NZ skipper Kane Williamson's shot. ( AP: Mark Baker )

Afterwards, none of the England players knew where to look. Archer put his hands over his face and let out a rueful chuckle, while England number three Denly could only bend down and pick up the ball.

At the time, Williamson was on 62.

The captain and his partner, Taylor, both took advantage of the situation — the damage was done, and any chance of an unlikely England victory went with it.

The pair made it to lunch unscathed, with Williamson on 96 and Taylor on 85.

Like his skipper Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor got his century for New Zealand on day five in Hamilton. ( AP: Mark Baker )

Australia - New Zealand Test series: First Test in Perth (D/N) — December 12-16

First Test in Perth (D/N) — December 12-16 Second Test in Melbourne — December 26-30

Second Test in Melbourne — December 26-30 Third Test in Sydney — January 3-7

With the weather closing in, both batsmen hit out after lunch, getting to their respective centuries before the rains came at 2-241, a lead of 140.

The unbroken partnership of 213 was a New Zealand record for the third wicket against England, allowing Williamson to log his 21st Test ton and Taylor his 19th.

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Both resumed on Tuesday morning in their 30s and while Williamson looked uncomfortable against an early short-pitched barrage from Ben Stokes, Taylor was untroubled as he marched past 7,000 runs and became the first player to score 1,000 runs in Tests at Seddon Park.

New Zealand will carry confidence across the Tasman for a three-Test showdown against Australia starting in Perth next week, having made it six successive home series wins.

Five players reached triple figures on a gentle pitch packing nothing like the life the Kiwis can expect in Perth.

It is another series notch in New Zealand's belt, the world's second-ranked Test side having secured victory eight times from their past 10 series, with one drawn and one lost.

AAP/ABC