Netball: Silver Ferns steamroll hopeless Proteas

By Suzanne McFadden

WELLINGTON - What has happened to the rest of the netball world?

The Silver Ferns devastated South Africa 72-33 last night in the first test of three, begging the question: has the gap between Australasia and the rest of the world grown to Grand Canyon proportions?

Four years ago, the Proteas upset New Zealand at the world championships. At their last encounter, at last year's Commonwealth Games, the Ferns were 25 goals better.

But last night's game was little more than an embarrassment, setting up September's world championships as a two-team race.

New Zealand simply had to play textbook netball in the first quarter to set the scene. From the first whistle the South Africans, ridiculously ranked No 2 in the world, looked like a high school team.

They had no idea where to pass the ball from the centre start and Silver Ferns goal keep Linda Vagana quickly sorted out Protea shooting sensation Irene van Dyk, who still has a set of the longest arms in world netball. The other shooter, Elsje Jordaan, may as well have stayed in her long-sleeves the way Bernice Mene shut her out of the match.

There was classic interplay between Donna Loffhagen and Belinda Colling, who now have to be the most natural shooting partnership in the game.

New Zealand were twice as good as their opposition at the first break, ahead 20-10.

The year of the world championships is not a sensible time to introduce a new playing style, and the South Africans suffered trying to play the fast, flat one-handed Australian game.

Their height advantage counted for naught - New Zealand were simply too polished for this team.

Wing attack Sonya Hardcastle had one of her best performances in the black and white, superbly feeding Loffhagen and Colling with little resistance.

It was all too easy for the two shooters. Loffhagen scored cleanly with a backwards shot over her head, simply exemplifying the Ferns' dominance.

But the Silver Ferns were not necessarily rapt with their efforts. Captain Belinda Colling repeatedly yelled "Talk!" to her side, even when they were 22 goals up at halftime, 39-17.

Ferns coach Yvonne Willering had the luxury of making changes for the second half, bringing Belinda Charteris on at goal defence for Vagana, and Anna Rowberry for Hardcastle.

South Africa's changes were more necessary - Manzo Machoga adding a little spark and support for van Dyk in the shooting circle.

But in the end the Protea defence did little but get in the way.

The only drama in the test came in the last 10 minutes when the tallest player on court, ungainly goal keep Leana du Plooy crashed to the ground from a great height, but survived to play out the game.

Yet the sell-out 3800 crowd at the Queen's Wharf Events Centre loved it. After all, New Zealand won and won well.