Imran Farhat helped give Pakistan a flying start

Inzamam-ul-Haq marked his 300th one-day appearance for Pakistan by leading his side to a 51-run win over New Zealand in Faisalabad.

It gave his side an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series and followed an impressive batting display which saw them total 314-7.

New Zealand were never up with the required rate in reply.

But Hamish Marshall made 101 not out in a losing cause - his first century at international or domestic level.

Pakistan went into the game with Inzamam, who had recovered from a sore throat, and pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar back in their side.

Inzamam thus became only the seventh player - and second Pakistani after Wasim Akram - to reach the 300 appearances landmark.

He chose to bat first after winning the toss and was rewarded as Imran Farhat and Yasir Hameed shared an opening stand of 142 in 30 overs.

Farhat was the more aggressive, hitting three sixes during his 110-ball innings, but Hameed played some stylish strokes of his own before he was caught at long-on by Craig Cumming off Kerry Walmsley.

THE 300-CLUB Wasim Akram (Pak): 356 ODIs Mohammad Azharuddin (India): 334 Steve Waugh (Aus): 325 Sachin Tendulkar (India): 321 Aravinda de Silva (SL): 308 Sanath Jayasuriya (SL): 308 Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak): 300

The second wicket followed with the score on 183 when Farhat was dismissed nine runs short of a century by spinner Daniel Vettori.

But there was no loss of momentum and Inzamam helped Youhana put on 53 in seven overs before the former was bowled by Chris Cairns for 25.

The sight of Abdul Razzaq walking to the middle could have done little for New Zealand's confidence following his big-hitting exploits in the first two matches.

And he was soon at it again, striking two sixes and three fours as 53 were added to the total in three overs.

Wickets tumbled at the end of the innings with Matthew Walker taking four in two overs for figures of 4-49, including Shoaib Malik (15), Razzaq (34) and Moin Khan in the space of four deliveries.

Pakistan's total was their second highest in a one-day game on home soil, beaten only by their 323-3 against Bangladesh at Multan earlier this year.

The Kiwis were soon in trouble in reply as Shoaib had Cumming caught behind for 10 in his second over.

Marshall's innings provided a positive note for the tourists

Richard Jones (23) and Mathew Sinclair (32) made useful contributions, but the most substantial partnership was between Marshall and Chris Harris, who put on 101 for the fourth wicket.

It came to an end when Mohammad Sami, Pakistan's match-winner in the second game of the series, bowled Harris for 46 and followed up with the wickets of Chris Cairns and Brendon McCullum.

The only question remaining was whether Marshall could reach three figures and he did so by pulling Hameed to the mid-wicket boundary for his seventh boundary from the fourth ball of the final over of the match.

He also hit two sixes in his 109-ball knock, a knock which bettered his previous best of 93 in senior cricket.

Pakistan: Inzamam-ul Haq (capt), Imran Farhat, Salim Elahi, Yasir Hameed, Yousuf Youhana, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan, Shabbir Ahmed, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar.

New Zealand: Chris Cairns (capt), Craig Cumming, Richard Jones, Hamish Marshall, Brendon McCullum, Mathew Sinclair, Daniel Vettori, Matthew Walker, Tama Canning, Kerry Walmsley, Michael Mason.