Netball: Improving Proteas bustle the Ferns

By Suzanne McFadden

The Silver Ferns scored more goals, but it was a moral victory for the South African netball side in their final test in Auckland last night.

New Zealand came back from a very average first-half effort to win 65-47 and wrap up the series 3-0.
But at last South Africa produced a game that - for
the first half anyway - was a thriller.

After their 40-goal hidings in the first two tests, the South Africans wailed that they were really only 20 goals worse than the New Zealanders. Point proved last night.

Their heroine was goal attack Rusky Mthethwa, just turned 21, and playing only her second test. Suddenly the South Africans had found a second shooter.

Amazingly Mthethwa took responsibility for the Proteas under the hoop - catching the Ferns defence off guard in the first quarter, putting in nine of her 11 shots.

Even with a tweaked calf muscle, Mthethwa played a mature match with safe hands under the post.

Danger woman Irene van Dyk ventured out of the circle for the first time in the series and was more of a feeder than a shooter.

The South Africans were more determined with their passes, more feisty on defence and had they caught the ball more often would have led at the first break.

Instead, they were down 12-14, but drew equal for much of the second quarter. The Silver Ferns were noticeably rattled.

New Zealand's shooters Donna Loffhagen and Belinda Colling were uncharacteristically off their game. It took the Ferns two minutes before they got a point on the board. Loffhagen had one of her worst efforts in her test career, missing nine of her 22 shots in the first half.

Goal keep Linda Vagana was the only Silver Fern who really showed a glimmer of the class her side had in the first two tests.

It was no surprise when Ferns coach Yvonne Willering reverted to her safe seven after the New Zealanders held on 30-25 at halftime.

On came Anna Rowberry and Julie Seymour in the midcourt, and Belinda Charteris and Bernice Mene teamed up in defence.

As the New Zealanders pulled away to a double-figure advantage, the South Africans began to fall apart - physically. In three minutes they lost three key players, including Mthethwa.

Rowberry took control of the middle and with it, Loffhagen finally found some confidence in her shooting.

New Zealand's 50-32 lead going into the last quarter did not fairly tell the story of the game.

Loffhagen copped a ball in the teeth with five minutes to go, and 20-year-old Adine Harper earned her second cap. Colling took over the job, holding her ground and shooting in her trademark off balance style.