Two wins out of two has been beyond New Zealand at all but the Nairobi ICC KnockOut tournament this season but that is what it going to be required to beat Pakistan in the National Bank series in the remaining two games.

But for the failure of the top order again in Wellington last night, New Zealand might be in front in the series.

Captain Stephen Fleming said New Zealand had failed to cope with a bowler in Wasim Akram who is still a world-class bowler.

The 28-run loss could have been greater but for a century fourth-wicket stand between Craig McMillan and Lou Vincent and a rattling lower order 34 not out by Adam Parore.

Fleming said the middle order was being put under a lot of pressure but they were responding very well.

"If we could see some sort of start we could probably be closer to the money anyway," Fleming said.

The death bowling had lacked enough variation and the Pakistanis, who added 51 runs off the last five overs in reaching 243/9, had scored too many boundaries.

Fleming said he made up his mind to open after makeshift opener Adam Parore was out for a duck in the Napier game.

"It's something I have looked at for a while with left-hand-right-hand, it has got everything going for it but we have just got to get it underway and that applies to three of us Nathan [Astle], myself and Rog [Twose]."

Fleming said it was not possible to keep chopping and changing the opening position and someone had to put their hand up and the signs were there for him to do it.

"I'm willing to do it and I want to do it bloody well," he said.

Fleming said he didn't take up the suggestion of selection chairman Sir Richard Hadlee on Waitangi Day because it wasn't his preferred position.

"While I've always looked at it and said, 'Yeah, one day perhaps I would like to do it' I've sort of been very strong on keeping that No 3 position consistently while I've been captaining the side.

"It all points to me doing it in this situation. There's no point putting in someone who's been playing Shell Trophy cricket or someone in the middle order who has been playing well," he said.

McMillan and Vincent played out the partnership of hope for the side. This was the new face of New Zealand cricket and it has an increasingly appealing look to it.

McMillan seemed to thrive with the effervescent Vincent as his partner. They had an understanding of when the quick single was on, and while the calls were close at times, they took calculated risks and had their rewards.

Facing a crisis with the top order gone and the score only 18/3 they could have been excused for falling into the more common New Zealand groove of regrouping before attempting the assault.

Instead they kept the score moving along so the run rate never became an issue and as their partnership grew, so too did their confidence in their ability to handle all that the Pakistan attack could throw at them.

The 50-partnership was achieved from 75 balls and their 100 48 balls later. Sadly, that was where it ended for Vincent, out to a superbly crafty piece of stumping by Moin Khan.

He sensed that Vincent was struggling to hold his balance and while his foot came back into the crease, he lifted it marginally and Moin was waiting.

Vincent was out for 34 but the stumping was superb.

McMillan scored his 11th ODI half century from 73 balls and he hit five fours. Then, almost in celebration, he hit the first ball of the next over into the seating at square leg.

It seemed as if he was going to accept the responsibility and go on to score the long overdue ODI century a batsman of his quality should have scored after 82 ODIs.

But he attempted to repeat his Waqar shot when Abdur Razzaq returned to the bowling crease and fell short of the boundary where Yousuf Youhana did not repeat his earlier mistake when dropping Vincent.

Then to compound New Zealand's misery Chris Harris followed two balls later, leg before wicket to Razzaq.

Parore revelled in finding some runs at last and offered a flicker of hope.

Fleming's loyalty to his bowlers who did so well in Napier on Tuesday was the reason for Andre Adams not making an appearance in the side.

"It's very tough when guys do the job for you and then you turn around and say to one of them, 'No you're not playing.' I'm very strong on if a guy does well you back him up," he said.

Pakistan were fined 25 percent of their match fee for a slow over rate with the New Zealand innings taking nearly four hours to complete.

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