New Zealand took a winning 3-1 lead in the five-match series by coasting to an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the fourth One-Day International on Wednesday.

A meagre Pakistani total of 126 was easily reached by the home side in 22.5 overs.

The New Zealand reply heralded the coming of age of new opener Craig Cumming, who shared an 84-run stand with skipper Stephen Fleming (29).

Cumming, with scores of one, nought and three in the first three games, was stubbornly backed by coach John Bracewell and his patience earned its reward when the Otago batsman scored an undefeated 45.

Chris Cairns also finished 25 not out.

Earlier, cloudy conditions were well utilised by the New Zealand bowlers, who moved the ball in the air, but the Pakistan batsmen succumbed too often to rash shots.

INZAMAM DUCK

Number 10 Shoaib Akhtar top-scored with an unbeaten 27 as seven of the batsmen failed to reach double figures.

Yasir Hameed was the first to fall, flashing at a wide ball from Kyle Mills on nine and edging to Scott Styris at second slip.

Pakistan then lost two wickets with the total on 49, Imran Farhat caught behind for 16 off Jacob Oram and Saleem Elahi removed by Mills in an identical manner for 11.

Two more wickets fell with the score on 53. Yousuf Youhana was clean bowled by Oram for four before skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq suffered his second duck in a row, trapped lbw by Cairns.

Shoaib Malik registered another duck after a fine catch by Daryl Tuffey off Cairns before Moin Khan and Abdul Razzaq both went to rash shots.

Akhtar and Sami launched an explosive counter attack, taking 23 off one Cairns over, 21 of them by Akhtar, before Sami was caught by Hamish Marshall off spinner Daniel Vettori for six.

Tuffey was the best of the bowlers, taking three for 35.

The fifth and final match will be in Wellington on Saturday.

Scoreboard

Pakistan:
Yasir Hameed c Styris b Mills 9
Imran Farhat c McCullum b Oram 16
Saleem Elahi c McCullum b Mills 11
Yousuf Youhana b Oram 4
Inzamam-ul-Haq lbw b Cairns 0
Moin Khan c Cairns b Tuffey 15
Shoaib Malik c Tuffey b Cairns 0
Abdul Razzaq c Styris b Tuffey 9
Azhar Mahmood lbw b Tuffey 9
Shoaib Akhtar not out 27
Mohammad Sami c Marshall b Vettori 6

Extras: (lb-8, b-1, w-9, nb-2) 20

Total: (all out, 36.3 overs) 126

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-49, 3-49, 4-53, 5-53, 6-57, 7-75, 8-84, 9-87

Bowling: Tuffey 10-5-35-3 (w-3), Mills 8-0-17-2 (w-1), Oram 10-4-24-2 (w-5), Cairns 7-1-38-2 (nb-2), Vettori 1.3-0-3-1.

New Zealand:
C.Cumming not out 45
S.Fleming c Malik b Mahmood 29
H.Marshall st Moin b Malik 2
C.Cairns not out 25

Extras: (lb-14, w-8, nb-4) 26

Total: (for 2 wickets, 22.5 overs) 127

Fall of wickets: 1-84, 2-87

Bowling: Akhtar 7-1-27-0 (w-4), Sami 6-0-35-0 (w-3, nb-1), Malik 4.5-2-19-1, Mahmood 5-0-32-1 (w-1, nb-3)

Result: New Zealand win by eight wickets, lead five-match series 3-1.