Otago wicketkeeper, Brendon McCullum, will lead a strong New Zealand Under-19 side into the three-Test series against South Africa starting at Alexandra on January 29.

The side was selected at the end of the national tournament that ended in Auckland today and won by Canterbury.

The youngest player, 16-year-old Central Districts batsman, Ross Taylor, has been named as vice-captain.

The convener of the selection panel, Dayle Hadlee, said Taylor was being groomed to lead the New Zealand side into the World Youth Cup in New Zealand next year.

"He is an outstanding young player with the hallmarks of a very good leader and we will nurture his captaincy skills for the 2002 tournament," Hadlee said.

The side has a 17-year-old, the Auckland all-rounder, Rob Nicol, and two 19-year-olds in McCullum and the Northern Districts medium-fast bowler, Ian Butler. The remainder are 18-year-olds.

Butler and McCullum with the Auckland utility player, Robert Lynch and another of the quick bowlers, Taraia Robin, have been retained from the youth side who toured Sri Lanka early this year.

The outstanding batsman at the tournament, Shannon Stewart from Canterbury, who scored 530 runs and ended with an average of 106 and a highest score of 183, has been included.

The leading bowler, Andrew Ellis, of Canterbury, with 19 wickets and an average of seven, is one of the new ball bowlers in the side.

South Africa start their tour with a match against Otago Youth at Oamaru on Wednesday.

After the first four-day test the second international is at Lincoln from February 4 and the final test starts at New Plymouth on February 10. One-day internationals will be played at Taupo on February 16 and 18 and at Eden Park on February 20. The New Zealand team is. – Brendon McCullum (captain - Otago); Ian Butler (Northern Districts); Andrew Ellis, Iain Robertson, Shannon Stewart (Canterbury); Robert Lynch, Rob Nicol, Sam Whiteman (Auckland); Taraia Robin, Ross Taylor (vice-captain), Greg Todd (Central Districts); Josh Stuart, Luke Woodcock (Wellington). The non-travelling reserves are Gene Andrews (Auckland), Kris Howes (CD), Stuart Mills (Wellington).

Final day results from the tournament were:

Auckland lost to Central Districts by six wickets.

Wellington beat Otago on the first innings.

Northern Districts 101 and 116 (A Ellis 4-14, C Sowden 3-17) lost to Canterbury 296-6 dec (S Stewart183, Sowden 47, H McCarthy 40) by an innings and 79 runs.

Final points: Canterbury 13, CD 12, Wellington 8, Auckland 7, ND 3, Otago 2.

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