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At Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town: Silver Ferns 76 (Grace Nweke: 31/31, Ameliaranne Ekenasio: 8/9, Maia Wilson: 22/24, Te Paea Selby-Rickit: 15/19) Trinidad and Tobago 27 (Afeisha Noel: 16/17, Joelisa Cooper: 11/11) 1Q: 23-2, HT: 43-11, 3Q: 58-20.
Silver Ferns by name, Silver Ferns by nature.
New Zealand opened their Netball World Cup title defence with a dominant 76-27 win over Trinidad and Tobago in Cape Town on Friday (NZ time), but didn’t have it all their own way.
Wearing a silver alternate version of their World Cup Manawarau dress, rather than their traditional black, the Silver Ferns looked powerful in patches. They did have some lulls in their play and some initial rust.
Seeing the Ferns in a silver strip rather than their usual black, took some getting used to, but it didn’t impact their play on court.
As far as first up World Cup performances go, it was a slick first half from the Ferns, who laid down an early marker about their title credentials.
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Karin Burger gets a pass away in the Silver Ferns’ World Cup opener.
For large parts, it resembled an opposed training run with the Ferns too fast, accurate, and skilful for their Caribbean rivals.
While this was mostly one-way traffic, it won’t be this easy all World Cup for the Ferns. With the second preliminaries stage beginning on Monday night (NZT), tougher tests await, including hosts South Africa, Jamaica, who crushed the Ferns 67-51 in the semifinals at last year’s Commonwealth Games, and the third placed Pool C side – likely Wales.
While the scoreline was lopsided, the Ferns would have been disappointed by their third quarter showing, where they only won the term 15-9 and were scratchy in their play.
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Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio puts up a goal in their World Cup opener.
New Zealand made some start to the game.
It took nearly six minutes for Trinidad and Tobago to open their account with the Ferns scoring nine unanswered goals to take control of the game early.
By the end of the first quarter the result was effectively over with the Ferns in charge, leading 23-2.
With the Ferns opening the World Cup with three games in the space of 50 hours and playing eight games in 10 days, all 12 players were given court time.
Growing combinations, managing players’ workloads, and developing their strategy is more the focus for the Ferns at this stage of the tournament.
These sides met in the pool stage of last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with the Ferns cruising to an 80-24 win.
The Silver Ferns had won 20 of the previous 22 meetings against Trinidad and Tobago. Their lone win came in 1988 in Palmerston North with the sides playing out a draw in 1978.
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Silver Ferns wing attack Whitney Souness jostles for possession in the World Cup opener.
Coach Dame Noeline Taurua went with a strong side to start the tournament, going with close to her best lineup.
The Ferns started with their first-choice shooting duo of skipper Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Grace Nweke, with Gina Crampton, Kate Heffernan and Karin Burger in the midcourt.
Who would start in the wing defence bib was one of the pressing questions leading into the Cup opener. Burger, a goal defence-wing defence slide, who was raised in nearby Vredendal – three hours from Cape Town, was handed first opportunity. She took her chance too and had an outstanding performance – picking up regular turnover ball.
Phoenix Karaka and Kelly Jury got the nod in the defensive circle to open the game.
Karaka was quickly into her work, grabbing an early intercept and a defensive tip as the Ferns flew out of the blocks.
Usual circle defender Jury moved into the unfamiliar wing defence role to start the second half, utilising her height and reach. Taurua might be tempted to use Jury out at wing defence later in the tournament as she did with Katrina Rore in Liverpool four years’ ago.
Best on court
With so much chopping and changing, building continuity wasn’t easy, but defender Karaka was a standout. She set the tone early with an intercept and deflection and was industrious throughout.
The big moment
The Ferns scored nine unanswered goals to open the game and by the end of the first quarter were ahead 23-2. Trinidad and Tobago were always going to be playing catch-up from there.
Match rating: 6/10
It wasn’t a perfect outing from the Ferns, but for a first-up Cup opener, they largely got what they wanted. From the early minutes, the Ferns were in complete control with Trinidad and Tobago playing catch-up. Credit to the Calypso Girls though, who did show greater fight in the second and third quarters.
The big picture
The Ferns have a quick turnaround facing Uganda in their second pool match, exactly 24 hours later on Saturday at 7pm (NZ time). Uganda frustrated the Ferns at last year’s Commonwealth Games with Taurua’s side producing an unconvincing 53-40 win. They’ll want to deliver a far more polished showing on this occasion.
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