Cricket: Williamson 'our greatest ever batsman' - Crowe

Kane Williamson. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand cricketing great Martin Crowe selflessly described Kane Williamson's form this summer as the "dawn of probably our greatest ever batsman". The way Williamson created 112 off 88 balls in the second one-day international against Pakistan made it feel like his development clock might have ticked towards brunch.

If Williamson was the architect of New Zealand's 369 for five at McLean Park, Ross Taylor delivered the final landscaping with 102 from 70 balls. He brought up his 12th ODI century and the 100th by a New Zealander from the final ball in his 150th ODI.

New Zealand beat Pakistan by 119 runs.

In essence the performance was another blueprint of what is required for World Cup success. Big runs equate to big pressure. New Zealand's total was the second highest at the venue, justifying the decision to bat. It's hard for any team to cope when the required run rate looks like an inflation graph from the 1970s.

The bowlers had initial difficulty controlling the Pakistani openers Ahmed Shehzad (55 off 62 balls) and Mohammad Hafeez (86 off 89) but patience won the day. The slide began at 111 and, by the time Daniel Vettori's had Shahid Afridi caught at deep cover for 11 to make it 187 for four in the 33rd over, the result seemed a fait accompli. Vettori's Uncle $crooge contribution of one for 41, including 31 dot balls, was the vital bowling performance. He was the most economical bowler with Trent Boult the only other to go under five-an-over.

Complementing Vettori's parsimony, Nathan McCullum teased out a couple of deep mid-wicket catches and Adam Milne's control on a small ground, including his yorker, got a decent workout.

Earlier, Williamson was Michelangelo with a bat rather than a brush. His sixth ODI century added further brushstrokes to a Sistine Chapel summer. Children in the stands aped the strokes to their parents. Even when Williamson advanced down the wicket he held the shape of his shots rather than taking the easier route of clearing the front leg and blasting towards the Hawke Bay horizon. Like the best sub-continental batsmen he seldom overhits; it's more about the timing. The beautiful thing from a New Zealand perspective is the next generation familiarising themselves with the game think this is situation normal. Their Mums and Dads know better.

Williamson is now ranked the sixth best ODI batsman behind AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Virat Kohli, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan but it's understandable why captain Brendon McCullum stated he wouldn't swap him for anyone.

A vociferous crowd rose in unison as Williamson departed just as they did for Taylor at innings' end. They knew they'd witnessed quality.

Williamson received valuable support from Guptill with 76 from 88 balls in a confidence-boosting innings ahead of the World Cup. Their second-wicket partnership was worth 128.

Grant Elliott also played another valuable cameo with 28 from 21 balls, helping add 72 for the fourth wicket in 46 balls with Taylor.

Pakistan were faced with formidable bowling conditions but tended to drop too short. They were punished through the short square boundaries.

Only Shahid Afridi with one for 57 and Mohammad Irfan two for 52 conceded less than a run a ball. Bilawal Bhatti went for 93. Afridi's effort was diluted by Sarfraz Ahmed missing a couple of stumpings. Sharper work on Taylor's bails would have saved 77 runs.

New Zealand's win is their fourth series win in the last five, the only blemish being against South Africa earlier in the summer without Williamson or Taylor.

New Zealand 369-5
Pakistan 250 in 43.1 overs
New Zealand win by 119 runs.