Netball: Auckland gets a test, but only by default

By Suzanne McFadden

Test netball will return to Auckland after an absence of three years - but only because the Hamilton venue is busy.

Auckland will host the third test between the Silver Ferns and South Africa on June 22.

Netball New Zealand these days generally takes tests to Waikato's Mystery Creek venue instead of Auckland, a decision governed by crowd capacity.

But Mystery Creek was not available because of the national field days, the main event held there each year.

So Auckland has been given another crack at hosting international netball, although it cuts down Netball New Zealand's revenue opportunities.

The venue, the ASB Stadium in Kohimarama, can hold 2500, while a capacity crowd at Mystery Creek is 5400.

Auckland has no trouble selling test tickets - 1500 have already sold before Netball New Zealand has started advertising the match.

The problem is finding a suitable venue in the city.

A plan to build a $150 million indoor stadium seating up to 15,000 fans on the old central railyards land, now called Quay Park, appears to have been put on the back burner since the new Auckland City Council came to power.

Dunedin, which suffers from the same small stadium syndrome, has missed out on a test in this Fisher and Paykel series, even though the city often commands the biggest netball crowds.

The first test will be played in Wellington at the Queen's Wharf Events Centre, seating 3600, on June 16 and the second three days later in Christchurch, which has the country's largest indoor venue, seating 7000.

Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering, an Aucklander, said she was thrilled to be returning home.

"Auckland is a region where we want to show the spectators good netball," she said.

"After struggling to get people to come to Coca-Cola Cup games, we need to sell the game to them again, and hopefully move on from there.

"You notice the smaller regions are getting right behind their sportspeople. We're giving Auckland the chance."

South Africa, captained by deadly accurate shooter Irene van Dyk, will play warm-up games in Nelson before the first test.

The Silver Ferns team will be named next week, after a trial of the country's top 20 players in Taupo on Saturday.

Otago shooter Jo Steed must pass a fitness test today to get to the trial, and other players with injury niggles - such as Bernice Mene and Anna Rowberry - will also be checked.