Kane Williamson provided New Zealand with another classy performance yesterday, but this time with the ball rather than the bat.

The plaudits usually rain down on the outstanding righthander for his batting deeds, which have made him among the best in the business in all three forms.

Last night he got to 34 against Pakistan before uncharacteristically being well caught on the long on boundary by Rumman Raees off spinner Haris Sohail.

Earlier in the day, Williamson's clever spell of offspin bowling was just the ticket for New Zealand in their five-wicket win.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Read more: Colin de Grandhomme blasts Black Caps to record-setting 11th consecutive win

In tandem with left arm spinner Mitchell Santner, a tourniquet was applied to the middle of the Pakistan innings. They still got to 262 for eight, but Williamson's spell of 10-0-32-2 was significant.

Bowling together Williamson and Santner took three for 61 from 18 overs.

It was just the second time the New Zealand skipper has bowled a full complement of 10 overs in an ODI.

The only other occasion was the Champions Trophy against Australia at Edgbaston in 2013, that day taking one for 56. It was a vastly different outcome yesterday.

Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur lamented his batsmen's failure to rotate the strike when the spinners were operating, recognising they had missed a trick.

"He bowled well, but not two for 32," Arthur said.

Read more:
Ross Taylor set to become seventh Black Cap to reach 200 ODIs
Current Black Caps era already one of the greats
30 New Zealanders enter Indian Premier League player auction

"We need be able to rotate more and better against the spinners in the middle period."

Williamson's bowling career stalled in 2014 when he was suspended for having an illegal action.

He was cleared in December that year, but for a time after his return appeared reluctant to take the ball.

In the course of 25 tests since coming back to the crease after the ban, Williamson has bowled just 48 overs.

He has bowled in only three of New Zealand's last 14 ODIs, a form of the game in which his best figures are four for 22 off 7.2 overs against South Africa in Paarl in early 2013.

He has bowled in 11 of his 44 T20 internationals, taken six inexpensive wickets at a useful 7.9 economy rate.

All of which suggests Williamson shouldn't be shy of marking out his short runup in the future.