17 Jan 2018

De Grandhomme blasts Black Caps to win

10:16 am on 17 January 2018

A bruising Colin de Grandhomme knock has lfited the Black Caps to a five-wicket win over Pakistan in the fourth ODI in Hamilton and a four-nil lead in the five-match series.

Colin de Grandhomme.

Colin de Grandhomme. Photo: Photosport

The returning de Grandhomme - out since early December on bereavement leave - showed no signs of rust, banging 74 not out in 40 balls as the Black Caps reached their target of 263 with four overs to spare.

De Grandhomme's explosive innings came right in time with the home side bogged down.

They started strongly with openers Martin Guptill (31) and Colin Munro (56), but after being 88 without loss, collapsed to 154 for 5 after skipper Kane Williamson's dismissal.

But de Grandhomme and Henry Nicholls (52) finished the job in clinical fashion, racking up an unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership of 109 off 65 balls.

The Zimbabwean-born all-rounder was brutal against the spinners, hitting seven boundaries and five sixes as the Black Caps took a 4-0 lead in the five-match series.

The victory was also a New Zealand record 11th successive win in completed matches in all formats, having previously swept the West Indies.

"I felt like I'd been hitting it well in the nets, and I just took what I'd been doing in the nets and brought it out here," de Grandhomme said.

"It was crucial for Henry to be there until the end."

Earlier, an expensive final over from death-bowling paceman Trent Boult had helped a much-improved Pakistan reach 8-262.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat, the tourists were a far cry from their pathetic third ODI showing, in which they scored just 74.

Much of that was down to the sixth-wicket partnership of Mohammad Hafeez and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, who racked up a 98-run stand.

Ahmed picked up 51 before being removed by Boult, while a thunderous Hafeez bashed 81 and was run out by Boult on the final ball.

He scored 22 runs in the final over to give Pakistan a sniff.

"To see him (de Grandhomme) come out and play like that was something special," Williamson said.

Ross Taylor made just 1 in his 200th ODI.

Tim Southee took three wickets for 44 from eight overs while Kane Williamson finished with two for 32 from his 10 overs.

The fifth and final game is in Wellington on Friday.

-RNZ/AAP