Kane Williamson continued his run plunder, scoring 238, which set New Zealand up for a Test victory over Pakistan.

Williamson was 112* overnight, but his appetite for big runs remains unmatched in the game at present. He pressed on, building patiently through a 573-minute innings, that eventually culminated in his fourth double century in Test cricket.

Pakistan will rue their poor fielding. Williamson was dropped on 82, 107 and 177. You don’t offer players of his class those types of reprieves and not pay dearly for it.

Williamson was ably supported by the run-hungry Henry Nicholls, who scored 157 and shared a record-breaking 369-run partnership with his skipper.

This, combined with a brutal 102 off 112 deliveries from Daryl Mitchell, took the game away from the tourists who were asked to chased 362 for victory after New Zealand declared on 659.

Pakistan are 8-1 and will have to bat extremely well for two days to deny New Zealand a victory that will take them to the top of the Test rankings.