The Silver Ferns today completed an unbeaten netball year, overwhelming Jamaica 67-32 in Kingston in the final of their Caribbean tri-series tournament.
Up 31-17 at halftime, the world champions shifted up a gear to kill off the match in the third quarter, which they took out 21-4 on the back
of a notable sequence of 11 unanswered goals.
The victory was New Zealand's eighth in 2005 against opponents that have included Australia and England.
The Silver Ferns helped their cause by cutting down the turnovers and other errors that blighted their performance against Jamaica in the round-robin phase two days earlier.
Jamaica, who had several players unavailable for the tri-series for different reasons, had problems moving the ball through court against the tight New Zealand defence.
The test was the Silver Ferns' last before the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March, and coach Ruth Aitken continued her policy on tour of trying out different combinations.
As in the two round-robin matches against Jamaica and Barbados, she used 11 of her squad, with only teenage shooter Maria Tutaia sitting out the final.
Aitken decided to leave star goalshoot Irene van Dyk on the bench at the start, pairing Jodi Te Huna with goal attack Belinda Colling at goal attack.
Te Huna and Colling rotated well in the circle as the Silver Ferns built up a comfortable halftime lead.
Van Dyk, who had sat out all of the 77-21 victory over Barbados yesterday, was introduced after halftime in Te Huna's place.
In defence, Aitken gave goal defence Casey Williams her second cap, pairing the 20-year-old with goal keep Vilimaina Davu during the first half, before replacing her with Anna Scarlett.
With New Zealand up 52-21 at three-quarter time, Aitken brought on Leanna de Bruin for Davu.
She also rested skipper Adine Wilson, giving former captain Anna Rowberry court time at wing attack.
Aitken said she was pleased with the manner in which the Silver Ferns had stayed composed throughout the contest.
She said leaving van Dyk off court early on was part of the plan to try out different personnel.
"It's just building our combinations," she told TVNZ.
"I thought Jodi and Belinda did a great job and we're lucky to have such depth on our bench now."
- NZPA
The Silver Ferns today completed an unbeaten netball year, overwhelming Jamaica 67-32 in Kingston in the final of their Caribbean tri-series tournament.
Up 31-17 at halftime, the world champions shifted up a gear to kill off the match in the third quarter, which they took out 21-4 on the back
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