By SHARON LUNDY
NEW ZEALAND 79 FIJI 24
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Lesley Nicol notched up 100 test caps for New Zealand as they stormed through their last pool game of the World Netball Championships, beating Fiji 79-24.
In a surprise move, Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken started newcomer Jodi Tehuna at wing
attack. Tehuna usually shoots but turned in a solid through-court performance with centre Adine Harper, feeding shooters Belinda Colling and Tania Dalton well.
Nicol anchored the defensive end where the inexperienced pair of Anna Scarlett and Leana du Plooy combined well at goal keep and goal defence.
After a slow first couple of minutes, New Zealand stormed through the quarter to take it 21-5.
Captain Anna Rowberry took the court at centre for the second quarter, with Harper moving into wing attack.
The mobile pair of Scarlett and du Plooy kept up their first-quarter momentum, keeping Fiji shooters Taraima Rara and Adi Vocea scoreless for most of the second 15.
New Zealand went into the half-time break 42-9 and Aitken took the chance to change all but Harper.
New Zealand's Fijian import and star goal keep Vilimaina Davu burst on to the court at goal keep, du Plooy moved to goal defence, Scarlett to wing defence, Te Huna returned, this time as goal attack, Irene van Dyk went on at goal shoot and Temepara Clark took the centre bib.
Fiji's Australian coach, Margaret Corbett, shuffled her lineup at half-time, bringing Mere Rabuka into goal defence and Matelita Shaw into goal shoot.
Shaw and Vocea had more success, doubling their half-time score to trail 62-18 at the three-quarter mark.
Aitken moved Scarlett to goal defence for the final 15 and brought Sheryl Clarke on at wing defence, giving her full squad court-time.
Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken was not completely satisfied with what was, for her, another mixed performance despite her changing combinations with each quarter.
"The scoreline was probably a little flattering for the quality of the our play," she said.
The defence generally played well but she felt a few errors had crept in during the third quarter.
She was pleased skipper Rowberry who is nursing a calf strain came through a quarter and Clark (ankle injury) managed one half.
On using Tehuna at wing attack, Aitken thought the player who is usually a shooter produced some really good things for the team.
The team now looked forward to their rest day tomorrow.
- NZPA
By SHARON LUNDY
NEW ZEALAND 79 FIJI 24
KINGSTON, Jamaica - Lesley Nicol notched up 100 test caps for New Zealand as they stormed through their last pool game of the World Netball Championships, beating Fiji 79-24.
In a surprise move, Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken started newcomer Jodi Tehuna at wing
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.