Netball: Silver Ferns finish series in style

7:30 AM - By MARISA BEETON

The New Zealand netball team has romped to a massive win over South Africa in their tri-series test at Pietermaritzburg.

The Ferns completely outplayed the home side for the second test in a row, winning 81-35.

The Ferns, who are unbeaten in the series, were not holding back against a much weaker opponent.

New Zealand coach Yvonne Willering could have rested her No 1 goal shooter Irene van Dyk for this match, but she was clearly chasing a huge score and after the kiwis' win over world champions Australia yesterday they did not need any more motivation.

It was only in the fourth quarter that she took off Van Dyk and sent on Tania Nicholson, but she compensated by also deploying world-class goal defender Bernice Mene.

The only change South African coach Elize Kotze made was replacing Martha Mosoahle with Liezel Wium in the last quarter.

South Africa showed moments of brilliance and for the first time the team played as a unit. However, the goal shooters were again missing too many goals.

Defender Desmarie Kotze had possibly her best match of the series. She was frequently successful in staying in front of Van Dyk and was more aggressive in chasing the wider balls.

However, her combination with Karin Venter was not successful enough in the first two quarters to keep the pressure on the circle's edge, and it soon became clear what a huge loss Van Dyk is for South Africa.

Proteas shooter Rosina Mogola's positional play was good and it was only in the last two quarters that the mid-court were frustrated in delivering the ball in the circle.

Moshoahle did well on wing attack, but her centre, Letetia Vorster, and goal attack, Elsje Jordaan, did not make use of her enough.

South Africa's best quarter was the first, scoring 11 goals, but it could have been closer to the Ferns' 25 if they had capitalised on all their opportunities in the circle.

Their defenders' best quarter was the second. They frustrated New Zealand's normal play pattern of long, high and hard balls.

South Africa's next match will be against Australia on Saturday in Pretoria.

- JOHANNESBURG STAR