World record holder for most runs off an over in a Test, New Zealand batsman Craig McMillan didn't know the significance of his achievement during his side's record-breaking victory over Pakistan at Hamilton today.

McMillan hit 26 runs off an over allowing New Zealand to set Pakistan a target of 304 runs to make New Zealand bat again. The Pakistanis suffered their worst defeat in Test history by only making it to 118 to be beaten by an innings and 185 runs.

McMillan, having hit the first three balls of Younis Khan's over for three boundaries, thought it would be nice to hit boundaries off all six balls.

He hit five fours and a six then by hitting four off the next ball he faced, it was the first time seven boundaries have been hit off seven successive deliveries.

However, a century eluded him when he was caught by Waqar Younis on 98 on the third man boundary from Fazl-e-Akbar's bowling.

His 98 came off 97 balls and included 13 fours and three sixes.

McMillan's record-breaking over featured three reverse sweeps and went: a reverse sweep to fine leg (4), a reverse sweep to mid wicket (4), a sweep to square leg (4), a reverse sweep to point (4), a lofted off drive out of the ground (6) and a cut past point (4).

"It was a lot of fun. It was one of those hands when you get into a groove and everything seems to click.

"It didn't seem to matter where they bowled it, I was going to hit it," he said.

"I thought it would be cool to hit all six balls for boundaries. It would be pretty unique. I had no knowledge at all that it was a world record."

McMillan defended his choice of reverse sweep shots saying it was a shot he practised in the nets and he only played it when certain field settings were in place.

He had been very happy with the consistency he had developed in his play, especially in the home section of the summer.

"And I was happy with my one-day form," he said of his displays which included a 75-ball century to equal Chris Cairns in holding the fastest One-Day International century record for New Zealand.

He said he enjoyed having some flexibility about where he batted in the order, and in one-day games he appreciated having the chance to play himself in because he felt that allowed him to bat at his best. It had also been a factor in today's innings.

After the Sharjah tournament, McMillan is going to take a complete break from cricket, as much for the mental pressures as anything else.

The occasions on which 24 runs had been taken off an over were:

Andy Roberts (West Indies) off Ian Botham (England), Port of Spain 1980/81 and the sequence was 462662lb.

Sandeep Patil (India) off Bob Willis (England), Manchester 1982, 444nb0444.

Ian Botham (England) off Derek Stirling (New Zealand), the Oval 1986 464604.

Kapil Dev (India) off Eddie Hemmings (England), Lord's 1990 006666.

Ian Smith (New Zealand) off Atul Wassan (India), Auckland, 1989/90, 244266.

There was one occasion when 25 runs were taken off an over, by two batsmen, Bert Sutcliffe and Bob Blair achieved the feat at Ellis Park in 1953/54 from Hugh Tayfield's bowling.

© CricInfo