Netball: Silver Ferns thrash Barbados 88-27

11:00pm

The Silver Ferns were a class apart as they thrashed Barbados 88-27 in the first netball test here tonight.

The opening game of the three-match series proved totally one-sided, with New Zealand cruising to victory.

Barbados at times barely provided a training run for the Silver Ferns, who are preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester next month.

The sub-standard opposition made it difficult to fully assess the strength of the New Zealanders, who were given free reign of the court.

Fighting talk from Barbados in the build-up to the match failed to translate in to action, as the tourists, ranked 10th in the world, suffered their heaviest ever loss to New Zealand.

Barbados probably fielded their most experienced line-up, with the exception of 64-cap veteran shooter Denise Alleyne, who was relegated to the bench.

The Silver Ferns' attack failed to gel in the opening stages, tossing away several opportunities, but it was just a minor hiccup.

In contrast, Barbados opened strongly, aided by the accuracy of goal shoot Cheryl Squires, who nailed 100 percent in the quarter with six from six, but her task later become impossible without the ball.

Barbados remained in the game for just a few minutes before the Silver Ferns stamped their dominance on the scoreboard.

The Caribbean team simply couldn't pierce the Silver Ferns' impressive zone defence.

Squires managed just one more shot before New Zealand scored 18 unanswered goals to lead 22-6 at the first break to put the result beyond doubt with most of the game still to come.

Goal shoot Irene van Dyk and goal attack Donna Loffhagen made life a misery for Barbados defenders Stacy Forde and Sherry Ann Martindale.

The nightmare became worse for the Barbados defenders after halftime when dynamic youngster Daneka Wipiiti was introduced for the first time at this level by coach Ruth Aitken.

Recalled veteran Anna Rowberry replaced Jenny-May Coffin at wing attack, while formidable defender Vilimaina Davu came on for Linda Vagana at goal keep.

The changes didn't greatly affect the Silver Ferns, with debutante Wipiiti slotting firmly into a partnership with Loffhagen.

Barbados introduced Alleyne at goal attack, but her presence didn't help their cause, as they were outclassed 25-4 in the third quarter.

Boasting a 66-18 lead heading into the final spell, New Zealand were never in danger of having to contend with any Barbados retaliation, but the visitors did mange nine goals in the spell, the most in any quarter of the game.

- NZPA