Match abandoned because of rain at Taupo

The first of the three-match one-day series between the Under-19 teams of New Zealand and South Africa was abandoned because of heavy rain in Taupo. The initiative shown by players, officials and ground authorities in hastily arranging a reserve day was ill-rewarded.

Negotiations as the rain set in yesterday resulted in agreement that the teams would return to Owen Delany Park today to bowl the remaining 35 overs of the South African innings. A good couple of hours' cricket was in prospect, with South Africa needing a further 179 to win with nine wickets standing.

South Africa emerged from this match with more to encourage them than the home team. Taking only five bowlers into the game, they restricted New Zealand to a not-excessive 254. Four New Zealand batsmen reached the forties, but none passed the half-century mark.

The most fluent batting came from Shanan Stewart, who hit 34 of his 42 in boundaries. The most determined came from Rob Nicol and Andrew Ellis, whose intelligent partnership of 65 for the sixth wicket took New Zealand to a higher total than looked likely when they came together.

The New Zealand bowling was far too loose in the fifteen overs that it delivered, a message that will be strongly reinforced by coach Mark Greatbatch and manager Dayle Hadlee before tomorrow's second match, also at Taupo.

All now depends on the weather. Tomorrow's forecast is not encouraging, as New Zealand's upper North Island continues to be enveloped by humid sub-tropical air.

The third game will be played at Eden Park's Outer Oval in Auckland on Tuesday.