Netball: Wobbly win, but it's a start

Silver Fern captain Adine Wilson clashes with England's Clare Elsey at North Shore Events Centre on Saturday night. Picture / Fotopress

It was a start, and the Silver Ferns will be better for having got their first test of the year behind them.

The 52-30 win at North Shore Events Centre put New Zealand 1-0 up over England in the three-match series. But it was a mixed bag, some smart, slick play interspersed with passages of scrappy, loose netball.

Much the same could be said of a plucky England, and, having had several weeks together, they should improve in the second test in Wellington on Wednesday.

However, as they operate at a lower overall level than the world champions, their ambition will only extend to closing the gap. Victory, on Saturday night's showing, is not an option. "I don't think we were disgraced out there," England coach Marg Caldow, a former Australian world championship-winning captain, rightly said.

"Our inexperience at different moments was costly with the decision-making. There's a lot to give and we need to give it more consistently."

England's first ambition was to prevent the Silver Ferns getting a flyer. They achieved that but New Zealand's class had them 29-17 up at halftime.

The quality began to slip in the third quarter. Neither side had a spell to savour, although the Silver Ferns won it 13-6, leaving the final period as a formality.

"It was a little bit up and down for a coach's liking," Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken said. "There's certainly a few things for us to work on for next time."

Top of her list is likely to be the linkwork at both ends of the court, which was dusty at times.

"We've got to do a little more off the ball so we can get that speed through the court. When that happens I think we'll be unstoppable." Aitken credited England's ability to pressure her players, notably through lanky defenders Geva Mentor and Sonia Mkoloma, who did a fine job putting the heat on Irene van Dyk and Jodi Te Huna. Van Dyk managed 42 goals from 50 attempts, while goal attack Te Huna bagged just 10 from 19.

Aitken defended Te Huna's wonky shooting. She reckoned Te Huna is a better player when she puts up plenty of shots and pointed to her success against Australia last year as evidence of her class, while giving Mentor and Mkoloma a pat on the back.

"Jodi's a huge talent and I think she will come back strongly after this," Aitken said. "It's a confidence thing and I don't doubt her ability. In a confined area like the goal circle little lapses of understanding really show through."

Aitken gave a debut cap to teenage Waikato midcourter Laura Langman for the final quarter and introduced Anna Scarlett and Sheryl Scanlan into the defensive mix at halftime.

"Our aim is to keep working on different combinations we've got looking forward to the Commonwealth Games next year and this was a great opportunity to get 10 of the 12 players out there," Aitken said.

Langman, the national under-21 captain, was wide-eyed at getting her first full cap.

"I was nervous and excited bundled up in one. I can only imagine what it's like against Australia but it was pretty intense out there for me," the 18-year-old said.

Aitken expects England to be heartened by their effort and to crank up the heat in Wellington. If captain Olivia Murphy - just back after ankle surgery and who sat out the second half as a precaution - is fit, England will be the better for it. She is a cool, clever midcourter and England's chances of closing the gap will dip if she's watching not playing.