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An outstanding all-round defensive effort, some superb midcourt
drive, and a deadly shooting circle combined to give New Zealand a
59-40 win over Australia in the second netball Test in
Wellington tonight.
New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken was able to use 11 of her 12-strong
bench, and each player contributed to a hugely satisfying victory
after Sunday's first-up loss in Adelaide.
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The first quarter was by no means error-free, but what it
lacked in fluidity it made up for in intensity, both teams fighting
for every scrap of possession.
Both coaches made judicious changes from the first test, won 48-43
by Australia after the New Zealanders faded in the closing five
minutes.
Aitken gave returning defender Anna Scarlett her first start in
the big time for more than three years, pairing her at
goal keep with captain Casey Williams roaming wider at goal
defence.
Other than that, the Silver Ferns line-up was the same as in
Adelaide, Temepara George and Laura Langman marshalling the
midcourt with Joline Henry at wing defence, and Irene van Dyk
paired again with Maria Tutaia.
Australian coach Norma Plummer adjusted her shooting circle,
bringing Catherine Cox in at goal shoot and captain Sharelle
McMahon shifting out to her more favoured goal attack position.
Kimberlee Green started at wing attack instead of Lauren Nourse,
but the remainder of the Diamonds' line-up remained the same.
Although the New Zealanders' start was slow - Australia snapped up
the first two goals - they soon hit their stride, playing with
precision and at pace, offering plenty of movement off the ball and
forcing turnovers aplenty with superb full-court defensive
pressure.
By the end of the first quarter, the Silver Ferns led 16-11.
Australia had converted all their shots on goal while the New
Zealanders had been less accurate but far more effective in
dominating possession and had put up 20 attempts.
The Silver Ferns' momentum forced a victory of sorts, as Plummer
brought on Sunday's game-breaker in 1.96m goal keep Susan Fuhrmann
for the second quarter. But where van Dyk faded under the physical
pressure four days ago, tonight she stepped up and proved
unflappable.
Helping that composure in no small part was a superb performance
from Tutaia, under considerable pressure from Mo'onia Gerrard at
goal defence. Tutaia sunk 10 from 11 for the second 15-minute
spell, while van Dyk converted five from six.
Rendered largely ineffective, Gerrard was replaced at halftime by
Bec Bulley, as the New Zealanders went into the halftime break with
a frankly astonishing 31-19 lead.
The Silver Ferns made a replacement of their own, resting the
hard-working van Dyk and bringing on Daneka Wipiiti, a brave move
considering the Southern Steel shooter's recent lack of game
time.
But Wipiiti stepped up superbly, moving well against Fuhrmann, and
sinking some superb long distance shots to keep the scoreline
ticking over. By the end of the spell, she had converted 10 of 12
of her shots on goal, and the Australians were looking increasingly
ragged.
Ahead 45-30 at the three-quarter mark, the New Zealand coaches
again rang the changes, subbing off Scarlett, who had been
outstanding, and bringing on the rangy Leana de Bruin at goal keep.
Liana
Barrett-Chase took over the wing attack's bib, and the Silver Ferns
machine rolled on, with Langman and George offering variety and an
eagle eye for the gap in their feeding of the circle.
Plummer resorted to fielding a NSW Swifts line-up in an effort to
stem haemorrhage of goals -- Kim Green at centre, Sue Pratley at
goal attack, and the hard-working Cox remained at goal shoot.
It made no difference. The Silver Ferns were unstoppable, their
19-goal win providing a huge confidence boost ahead of their
Commonwealth Games title defence in New Delhi next month.
New Zealand 59 (Irene van Dyk 15/17, Maria
Tutaia 24/32, Daneka Wipiiti 18/25, Grace Rasmussen 2/3)
Australia 40 (Catherine Cox 27/31, Sharelle
McMahon 9/12, Sue Pratley 4/5),
Halftime: 31-19.
