Shaun Pollock decided against a teasing declaration on the last day of a truncated match, preferring to avoid even the merest thought of 'fixing' a result after three days were washed out.

Boeta Dippenaar's maiden Test hundred and a wasted 79 from Jacques Kallis were the benefits of the 'dead' days batting practice.

New Zealand had struggled to 200 on day one, with the opener Mark Richardson again contributing, along with debutante all-rounder Hamish Marshall, scoring 40 not out.

New Zealand limped out of the series they were already second favourites for after the loss of their front-line seam attack, and their number one spinner. Although the stand-in's proved worthy if not able to penetrate the solid South African middle-order.

Richard Kendall