David Leggat: A welcome win - but it could have been achieved more convincingly

New Zealand test wins don't come around that often, and the players had a decent celebration after beating Pakistan in Dunedin.

So they should. Down the years, New Zealand have had plenty of grim times in test cricket; therefore they should be entitled to make the most of the good days.

Excluding one win against Bangladesh 13 months ago, this was their first victory in 17 tests against a major test-playing country since toppling England at Hamilton in March last year. But the key figures within the New Zealand squad will know the match could have been won more convincingly.

New Zealand's bowlers did a top-class job, sticking to their script, bending their backs and being well rewarded, apart from a period on the third afternoon when 19-year-old Umar Akmal showed what a precocious talent he is in hitting his maiden century on debut.

New Zealand's fielding was decisively superior to their opponents', and on the final day the bowlers never wavered as Pakistan picked themselves up from a ragged start and edged their way towards the target of 251.

However, tenacity was rewarded and all three of Shane Bond, Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien got a handsome payout.

But amid the back slaps it should not be forgotten that large chunks of this test, being played between teams ranked No 6 and No 7, were of average quality - from both teams.

New Zealand's batting woes at the top remain; there were four ducks in the top seven in the second innings. And had it not been for Ross Taylor's 59, far from his highest-quality innings, they would have been in a right pickle on the final day.

The pulsating last few hours on Saturday may well have been a more pedestrian march to victory for Pakistan.

Overall, the bowling was superior to the batting for much of the test.

Pakistan have a trio of handy seamers in Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif - who took eight wickets in his first test in two years - and Umar Gul, who suffered little by comparison with their counterparts.

But Pakistan's batting, the Akmal brothers and captain Mohammad Yousuf apart, was ordinary. Yousuf was undone by a brilliant return catch to Bond, then a snorting lifter from Martin second time round, the single-most decisive wicket of the match.

Experienced Misbah-ul-Haq joins the squad in Wellington as a belated replacement for the former skipper Younis Khan. Misbah averages almost 38 in 15 tests and should shore up the middle - not to mention add some glue to the slips cordon who at times in Dunedin performed like circus clowns.

New Zealand have the same 13-man squad for the second test starting at the Basin Reserve on Thursday, but they'll have a couple of questions to exercise their minds.

The easy option is to stick with the winning XI. Four bowlers did the job in Dunedin, but will they need an extra arm in Wellington? It's swings and roundabouts.

Bumping Vettori up to No 6 and adding another bowler, say offspinner Jeetan Patel on his home ground, spreads the workload but trims the specialist batting lineup. You would argue on the evidence of Dunedin, New Zealand need all the batting they can get. Pleasant choices though. That's what happens when you win.