New Zealand v Pakistan, 2000-01

At Hamilton, March 27, 28, 29, 30. New Zealand won by an innings and 185 runs. Toss: New Zealand. Test debut: Humayun Farhat.
New Zealand achieved their largest Test victory to level the series, while the unpredictable Pakistanis went down to their heaviest defeat. On the fourth day, McMillan inspired his team-mates by thumping a single over for 26 runs, a Test record, after which the young Kiwi pace attack cleaned Pakistan out. With the second day and half the third washed out, the entire match lasted less than 190 overs, barely two days' play.

This was New Zealand's tenth win by an innings, and their 47th in all, in their 288 Tests. Their previous best was by an innings and 132 runs against England at Christchurch in 1983-84, whereas Pakistan's worst had come when West Indies beat them by an innings and 174 at Kingston in 1957-58. It was Fleming's 13th win in 36 Tests in charge, ending a run of six Tests without victory, but a disastrous start for novice captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, deputising for the injured Moin Khan. Wicket-keeper Humayun Farhat made his debut, while Mohammad Akram was a late replacement when Mohammad Sami was declared unfit. Franklin returned for New Zealand when Drum was injured.

For the first time in the series, the teams played on a traditional, well-grassed pitch, and Fleming made the most of winning the toss in overcast conditions. Even so, Pakistan batted recklessly. Their openers hit 28 in the first five overs; the next six saw half the side go for ten runs, and then Younis Khan and Humayun added 51 in nine. Younis did at least see Pakistan past their previous lowest total against New Zealand, 102 at Faisalabad in 1990-91, before he was last out in the second over after lunch. Tuffey and Martin claimed four wickets apiece.

Richardson and Bell, their opening partnership going from strength to strength, overtook the Pakistani total in 30 overs. By the time bad light brought an early close to the opening day, they had passed the previous New Zealand first-wicket record against Pakistan, 159 by Rodney Redmond and Glenn Turner at Auckland in 1972-73. When the weather finally relented and play resumed on the third afternoon, they took their stand to 181, and both recorded maiden Test hundreds: Richardson took seven hours to Bell's four and a half.

Richardson fell to the third delivery of the fourth day, clearing the way for McMillan's scorching 98 off 97 balls. He hit Younis Khan's single over for 444464 - three of the fours from reverse sweeps and the six a hefty off-drive out of the ground. McMillan pulled ahead of five players who had scored 24 off a Test over, and went on to a record seventh consecutive boundary when he hit his next ball, from Saqlain Mushtaq, for another six, his third. Having taken 80 deliveries for his fifty, he advanced to 98 off another 16 before, trying to reach three figures, he was caught at deep third man. Fleming, who had helped him add 147, a New Zealand fourth-wicket record against Pakistan, promptly declared with a first-innings lead of 303.

Tuffey, Martin and Franklin, who returned a Test-best four for 26, now tore through the tourists' second innings inside 50 overs. A total of 118 would have been Pakistan's worst in New Zealand, had they not already lowered that landmark to 104 three days earlier. Despite McMillan's pyrotechnics, Tuffey took the match award for overall figures of seven for 77. To add to their discomfit, the Pakistanis were later fined 75 per cent of their match fees for their slow over-rate.

Man of the Match: D. R. Tuffey.