FERNS DATE: Hawke's Bay Netball's Helga Lewis is excited about the September clash between the Silver Ferns and England in Taradale. PHOTO/FILE
FERNS DATE: Hawke's Bay Netball's Helga Lewis is excited about the September clash between the Silver Ferns and England in Taradale. PHOTO/FILE
"Fantastic news for netball in Hawke's Bay."
That was the reaction of Hawke's Bay Netball's business administrator Helga Lewis when told yesterday the Silver Ferns will take on the England Roses in Taradale's Pettigrew-Green Arena on Sunday, September 10. It will be the second match in a three-test series forthe Taini Jamison Trophy.
"I'm hoping for a full house. England proved during the Quad Series which ended this week they are closing the gap on New Zealand as well as Australia," Lewis said.
The Silver Ferns last played in Taradale in October, 2013 when they beat Malawi 68-49. There was a poor turnout for this test as the Silver Ferns had walloped Malawi a couple of days earlier.
The September series, which will also see the Silver Ferns take on the world's third-ranked team in Porirua's Te Rauparaha Arena on September 7 and Hamilton's Claudelands Arena on September 13, will follow the August Quad Series which will also feature South Africa's Proteas and the Australian Diamonds.
The Silver Ferns will open their Quad Series campaign with a match against the Proteas on Aussie soil before facing the Roses in The Trusts Arena, Auckland on Wednesday, August 30. The series will then head to Invercargill's ILT Stadium for a doubleheader featuring all four teams on Sunday, September 3.
New Zealand's international season will end with the Constellation Cup four-test series against the Australian Diamonds in October. Game one will be played at Auckland's Vector Arena on Thursday, October 5 and game two in Christchurch at the Horncastle Arena on Sunday, October 8 before the final two tests will be played in Australia.
