Black Caps’ Brendon McCullum reflects on his team’s performance after narrowly missing victory over England in the final Test.
England secured an unlikely draw against New Zealand in the third and deciding Test of the series in Auckland.
The Kiwis looked to be in a winning position as the tourists needed to bat out the whole of day five with just six wickets in hand.
It was a final day of ups and downs for both sides, with the pendulum between a draw and victory constantly swinging for New Zealand.
The home side had the tourists on 159-6 after lunch but an inspired batting performance from England’s Matt Prior secured a drawn series.
After coming so close to their first Test series win over the English in 14 years, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was understandably disappointed.
“That’s heart-breaking,” McCullum said of the draw on the Independent’s website.
“I’ll make sure I go round all the lads. I’m incredibly proud of the way they performed in this series.”
As rank outsiders going into the three-match series against England the Black Caps may have accepted a drawn result before the first Test in Dunedin.
McCullum’s men went on to have the better of series however, outplaying the tourists in the first and third Tests.
As it is New Zealand will have to take the positives from the experience as they more than held their own against the team ranked second in the world.
McCullum and his side will have a chance to have another go at England when they play two Tests in the return series in May.
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