5:42PM Monday November 12, 2007
By Cathy Walshe
Silver Ferns 86 Wales 24
New Zealand netball coach Ruth Aitken made full use of her bench as the Silver Ferns steamrollered a hapless Wales 86-24 at the world netball championship here today.
After a blitzkreig start, the Silver Ferns worked a myriad of different combinations intelligently, and ground Wales into submission in yet another one-sided pool match.
New Zealand opened at a ferocious pace, playing focused, full-throttle netball, an 11-goal scoring spree going unanswered by a shell-shocked Wales.
New Zealand shooters Irene van Dyk and Jodi Te Huna found space in spades, both in and out of the circle, and with the midcourt running riot, revelled in a flood of possession.
Wing defence Julie Seymour was at her destructive best, hunting the ball and menacing Welsh wing attack Amanda Evans as she tried in tandem with centre Anna Mayes to find ways to work the ball into shooters Rebecca James and Cara-Lea Moseley.
Wales had only 10 shots on goal in the entire spell, sinking just five as the Silver Ferns look composed in converting 25 of their 27 attempts to lead 25-5 at the end of the first quarter.
The Welsh recovered somewhat in the second quarter to double their scoring rate and trail 15-47 at halftime, the fired-up Siver Ferns continued to find space freely thanks to some concentrated through-court defence.
Aitken used her bench freely, making wholesale changes at halftime.
Maree Bowden took over from Laura Langman at centre, while Joline Henry came on for Seymour and Leana de Bruin took over the goal defence bib from Sheryl Scanlan.
Maria Tutaia also came on at the break as Van Dyk was again rested by Aitken, finishing with a 91 per cent success rate in sinking 39 from 41 attempts.
The onslaught slackened slightly in the third quarter, with the Silver Ferns taking time to settle the changes and the midcourt looking a little more tentative.
But with Casey Williams in outstanding form at goal keep, there was always a steady supply of possession for Tutaia and Te Huna to convert and New Zealand led 65-20 with 15 minutes remaining.
Aitken tweaked her attack again at the three-quarter mark, moving Bowden to wing attack and bringing Seymour on at centre. Paula Griffin came on for Tutaia at goal attack, and Te Huna moved back to goal shoot, and the Silver Ferns machine rolled on to an inevitable victory.
- NZPA
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