Cricket: This time no Hafeez measures

Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez celebrates his maiden ODI century during yesterday's win against the Black Caps at Christchurch. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand's bowling has some way to go to be competitive at the World Cup, judging by the 43-run loss to Pakistan in Christchurch yesterday.

In contrast, the batting was brave and constructive but found the challenge too daunting. The middle and lower order crumbled under the demands of a steep run-rate to finish on 250 for nine from 50 overs leaving the series level 1-1.

Bowling was the problem. Too many loose deliveries and a lack of control emerged when they were put under pressure.

Several bowlers slackened towards the end of their spells and were punished by a Pakistan batting line-up as brutal as any in the world. In the last 14 overs, they blasted 143 runs.

Captain Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez showed Pakistan's strength in their batting power play between the 43rd and 47th overs - plundering 72 runs.

Afridi carved 65 from 25 balls, his 50 coming from only 19 balls. Only four ODI 50s have been faster - two of them his. At times it seemed he was going to launch one over the Hadlee Stand, such is his power.

Umar Akmal was also lively, be it blasting through cover, pulling into the stand over deep mid-wicket or paddling to bisect fine and long legs on his way to 44 off 29 balls.

Afridi was thrilled.

"The last few months we have struggled with the 50-over game but if I come in with 10-12 overs left and I can play with one mind by going and hitting ball, that's great. We needed a game like this."

Early on, the New Zealand bowlers were parsimonious, reducing the visitors to 8-2 in the fourth over and 62-3 after 15. But opener Mohammad Hafeez showed his mettle. He built 115 runs off 144 balls - his previous best in this format was 92.

Hafeez will play a key role for Pakistan if he can knit similar innings together at the World Cup. He averages more than 40 in 13 matches since returning to the one-day side in September.

He was particularly severe when the bowlers dropped short. His boundaries were a welcome boost to a docile run-rate. Hafeez had a reprieve on 49, when Brendon McCullum dived to his right and dropped a tough edge off Jacob Oram.

Admittedly the Black Caps probably learned more yesterday than in last week's nine-wicket win in Wellington but contrasting conditions to the sub-continent and a hit-and-miss rotation policy means it became just another ODI rather than offering any true insight into what will make them better in less than a month.

Stand-in captain Ross Taylor summed up the deficiencies: "Chasing 294, we scored a lot of 30s and 40s which needed to be converted into bigger scores. The run rate was in our hands at times but Pakistan used reverse swing and slower balls well to restrict us.

"We lost momentum in their last 10 overs [with the bat] and, with smaller grounds here and at the World Cup, we need to improve our boundary-hitting options with the bat and control them with the ball."

Without presumed starters Daniel Vettori, Jesse Ryder, Nathan McCullum and James Franklin, it's hard to know how the side would have coped.

The lush conditions and coolish weather were also in stark contrast to what will confront them in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The Black Caps batting faced a challenge from the start knowing the highest previous chase in Christchurch was 256 to beat Sri Lanka five years ago.

Jamie How and Martin Guptill started their new opening partnership audaciously with 44 before Scott Styris and Kane Williamson offered hope in the middle order with 81 for the fourth wicket to take them through to 161 in the 34th over - Styris top-scored with 46.

Pakistan's total was contrary to the expectations of Taylor when he first saw the wicket.

He provided an entertaining deadpan description that it was the "same colour as the outfield when we arrived".

For the record, the outfield was a vivid emerald.

"I've never seen a wicket that colour a couple of hours before a match," Taylor added, as the groundstaff made a hasty exit on the stadium tractor.

The Pakistan batting was an enemy but so was the blustery south-westerly wind.

Kyle Mills, Hamish Bennett, Tim Southee and Oram all shared spells with and into the gusts.

Luke Woodcock produced a tidy effort into the wind on debut to go for 46 from 10 overs, including 12 off his last. Pakistan were relatively untroubled but Woodcock was unlucky at times.

McCullum's sloppy day with the gloves continued, missing a chance to stump Misbah when he was on eight - he eventually made 35.

One of the more incongruous sights was Daniel Vettori racing onto the field in his smart red butler vest; offering drinks, advice and pats on the back to team-mates before returning to the leather loungers of the players' man cave.