Draw, but much promise in third Under-19 Test

When you are a young cricketer trying to make his mark at international level, there is no such thing as a dead game. Despite the impossibility of a victory for either side, members of both teams enhanced their reputations on the final day's play of the third and final Under-19 Test at New Plymouth.

Play got under way on time, which was a credit to the groudstaff and to the umpires, who ignored South African objections and insisted on a prompt start.

All-rounder Andrew Ellis was the first to impress. On Saturday he batted for a long time, but found runs hard to score. This morning he was much more fluent. He reached 66 in 183 balls, including nine fours.

Ellis' contribution enabled New Zealand to reach 336. In reply, South Africa went off at bullet-train speed. Steven Cook drove Taraia Robin's second delivery to the long on boundary in the first over of the innings. James Schorn got off the mark with a six.

After lunch things slowed down. Both openers went quickly, followed shortly before drinks by South African skipper Rivash Gobind.

Hashim Amla was next to impress. He started off quietly. The arrival at the crease of all-rounder Johan Botha seemed to spark him off. Botha is an aggressive cricketer and he went in with the clear intention of taking the attack to the opposition. Slow left-armer Woodcock was hit for four to long off and six over midwicket from successive deliveries.

This was Amla's cue. Woodcock was hit for three fours in one over in an arc from midwicket to cover. Amla is a fluent timer of the ball and particularly strong on the off side. His 76 contained 11 fours and was the highest of his three half-centuries in the series.

South Africa finished on 181 for four in answer to New Zealand's 336.

New Zealand manager and Academy chief Dayle Hadlee spoke to CricInfo about the series as a whole. What has his team learned from this series?

"They have learnt about team culture, about the expectations that the Black Caps have in their culture, and about four-day cricket. They have learnt never to give in and to keep battling. They are far better cricketers as a result."

Before the match began the players were made aware that up to six of them will be invited to attend the academy at Lincoln on the strength of their performances here.

"We threw that spanner into the works at the start of the game so that they would not become complacent after two victories. That brought them down to earth, because a lot of them do aspire to come to the Academy."

The star of the series was undoubtedly New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum, who scored 455 runs at an average of 151 with a strike rate of 96. "Quite sensational" is Hadlee's description of this performance.

"He was furious to get out for exactly a hundred here. He was determined to get to 200 and had every chance to do so on this ground, but did not cash in."

Where does McCullum stand in terms of first-class and international cricket?

"He has had very moderate success in first-class cricket so far. We can't afford to rush him to a higher level. He should develop his wicket-keeping even further and become a consistent player at first-class level. If that happens we can think about him in terms of the succession to Adam Parore."

Which of the other players would Hadlee pick out as having developed during the series?

"I'd mention two of the younger players. There's Rob Nicol, who will be going to the MCC School at Lord's this winter. Also Ross Taylor, who is only sixteen. He has a role to play in next year's World Cup. Some of our pace bowlers are looking likely bets, particularly Taraia Robin. Shanan Stewart had a great Under-19 tournament, though he hasn't performed in the Tests."

The squad will remain the same for the one-day series.

"We picked the team to play Tests, but believe that we have the skill mix necessary for one-day cricket. It is a bit early to pick out specialists."

Hadlee is not completely satisfied with a two-nil series victory.

"We wanted a three-nil victory, but the weather did not allow that and we can't be sure that we would have won this game anyway, because the South Africans played well today. We'll settle for two-nil."

The teams meet in the first of three Youth One-Day Internationals at Taupo on Friday.