Debutant Brad Taylor helped himself to three last-day wickets as the first Test between England Under-19s and their South African counterparts ended in a draw at Fenner’s.
Hampshire off-spinner Taylor, who made his first-class bow as a 16-year-old against Lancashire last year, bowled economically as batting conditions remaining favourable to return 3-42 from his 23 overs.
The tourists reached 300 for seven in their second innings by the time the teams shook hands - Janneman Malan top scoring with 83 after Ryan Rickelton struck 81 to lay a fine foundation at the top of the order.
A sporting declaration from England skipper Will Rhodes yesterday gave the hosts a faint hope of forcing a result in the event of early wickets tumbling.
But Rickelton and opening partner Mathew Chistensen snuffed out those ambitions with an opening stand of 99, ended when the latter fell to Taylor for 34.
That sparked a mini-collapse as Taylor accounted for Marques Ackerman leg before and Grant Roelofsen either side of Rickelton sending a return catch back to Rob Jones.
But the former wicket brought Malan to the crease and his fluent 112-ball knock, featuring nine fours and four sixes meant any lingering Proteas nerves were long gone by the time he was the penultimate man to fall - caught behind off Rhodes.
The England captain rattled through 10 bowlers as the game wound towards its conclusion and the ninth of those used, Surrey’s Dominic Sibley, bowled Andile Phehlukwayo for 41 shortly before stumps.
The second and final Test of the series gets under way at Northampton on Thursday.