11.15am
NEW ZEALAND 99 NIUE 11
KINGSTON - The Silver Ferns opened their World Netball Championships campaign with a 99-11 annihilation of minnows Niue here today.
Niue were hopelessly outclassed, with New Zealand racing 14 goals ahead before the Pacific team sunk a shot. The crowd was ecstatic when the goal was finally
scored, 9-1/2 minutes into the game
The game was Jodi Te Huna's first as a Silver Fern and she made her mark, creating good space in the circle and moving well to give feeders Anna Rowberry and Adine Harper good options.
Te Huna's mobile game also allowed goal attack Belinda Colling to put up more shots, something she has previously been criticised for not doing.
The Silver Ferns stayed hard on defence throughout the court, particularly the defensive trio of Anna Scarlett, Sheryl Clarke and Lesley Nicol, to finish the quarter 23-2 ahead.
Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken stayed with her stating line-up for the second quarter and Te Huna continued her strong start, settling into the game and combining with Colling for some slick moves.
Niue coach Tania Karauria also kept her starting seven but they continued to be completely outclassed and overwhelmed, remaining scoreless for 10 minutes.
Aitken rung the changes at halftime to get the whole of the 12-strong squad on during the game.
Temepara Clark went into centre, Vilimaina Davu to goal keep, Leana du Plooy goal defence, Irene van Dyk goal shoot and Tania Dalton goal attack.
The new players took time to settle, with the new combinations never looking quite as polished as the first-half line-up. However, typically accurate shooting from van Dyk and superb defence from Davu kept the goals ticking over and the quarter closed 71-8.
New Zealand settled again for the final quarter, piling on the pressure to take the game 99-11.
- NZPA
