Netball: Silver Ferns pipped by Australia

Grace Nweke finished with 42 from 44 attempts against Australia. Photosport

The Silver Ferns have faded to a 59-57 defeat in their Quad Series netball test against Australia in Cape Town.

New Zealand had led by eight goals in the second quarter and were ahead late in the third before a late swing in that quarter put Australia back in front. The Diamonds then kept their noses in front in the final term despite a late comeback attempt to consign New Zealand to defeat.

Grace Nweke finished with 42 from 44 for the Silver Ferns.

There was very little difference between the world’s two most successful teams with Australia just shading the Silver Ferns in shooting accuracy to nail the result after recovering from a slow start.

“I was really happy with how we started as a group,’’ Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio said.

“It’s always a really tight tussle when we play Aussie and I was really proud of what the girls put out on court today, we just couldn’t quite come away with it.’’

With the testing of personnel and combinations a priority ahead of July’s World Cup, flexibility was a key for both teams, the Silver Ferns lining up with an experienced starting seven while making multiple changes during the match.

That included defenders Karin Burger and Jane Watson getting starts after coming back into the team after injury and pregnancy, respectively, and Kate Heffernan getting the nod at centre.

The Diamonds opted for plenty of height at the defence end with Courtney Bruce and Sarah Klau pairing up to help combat the influence of Silver Ferns shooter Grace Nweke’s imposing presence.

Impressing on attack, the Silver Ferns held a slight edge through the opening quarter with Ekenasio a strong presence at the front end with her directional play and expert feeding to Nweke.

Youngsters Nweke and Heffernan continued to showcase their growing stature in the team, the pair’s composure being a feature during a safe and controlled start by the Silver Ferns.

Club team-mates Cara Koenen and Steph Wood were an effective shooting combination for the Diamonds but it was a couple of late turnovers that pushed the Silver Ferns out to a 17-13 lead at the first break.

Nailing the first four goals on the resumption, the Silver Ferns couldn’t have asked for a better start as they stretched out to a seven-goal margin before Australia found their flow on attack. Using the pace of the ball and timing with the ever-reliable Koenen being the main beneficiary under the hoop, a quick five goals to the Diamonds had the game delicately poised.

With more pressure on their attacking end, the Silver Ferns found themselves in an all too familiar trans-Tasman arm wrestle as the game developed into an absorbing contest. A goal-for-goal stand-off rounded out the quarter with the Silver Ferns holding the narrowest of advantages when leading 29-28 at the main break.

Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua made six personnel or positional changes for the third quarter, including Claire Kersten suiting up at wing defence in her first international outing since last year’s Quad Series.

Strong defensive efforts from both ends became a feature as the match developed into a tight and keenly fought battle of nip and tuck with Burger playing a strong hand from goal defence as did her opposite Bruce.

There was nothing to separate the two evenly-matched teams, the Peta Toeava-Nweke combination featuring in a creative Silver Ferns attack line while Koenen continued to play a leading role in Australia’s increasingly potent front end of the court.

The Diamonds snuck into the lead for the first time early in the piece, reversing the roles when nosing to a 44-43 lead at the last break.

The Silver Ferns will meet England in their final round robin match at 3am (NZ time) on Wednesday.