Netball: Ferns shine brightest in final

The Silver Ferns celebrate with their gold medals after defeating Australia in the Commonwealth Games netball final last night. Picture / Brett Phibbs

New Zealand 60 Australia 55

MELBOURNE - It wasn't always pretty, but it was efficient and the result was a golden flourish from the Silver Ferns to sign off New Zealand's Commonwealth Games.

The win had a bit of everything - moments of real tension, clever work, both nifty and ragged inter-passing and frequent bouts of physicality at both ends of the court which owed more to WWF wrestling than real sport - but there's no question the Silver Ferns were worth the win.

Why? Because when the heat went on from an Australian team, which toiled desperately but lacked polish at key moments, New Zealand responded.

They held their nerve in an almost claustrophobic wall of noise from the raucous home fans.

And in an arena where calm heads and clear thinking were vital, New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken reckoned her team should reserve their biggest backslaps for experienced goal attack Belinda Colling.

Not only did Colling pot 16 of 18 shots at goal, belying her reputation as erratic under the net, but her coolness late in the match, and ability to take the heat off towering goal shoot Irene van Dyk were vital ingredients in New Zealand's first Games title.

"She does a lot of work that goes unnoticed," Aitken said of Colling.

"Certainly Irene is our finish girl and did well, but Belinda is a very crafty player, and you can't teach that overnight."

Van Dyk succeeded with 44 of 49 attempts. It was not her finest hour, but consider that Australia put up one more shot at goal and her work becomes critical.

Australian goal shoot, Whangarei-born Catherine Cox, managed 31 of 38 shots, stroppy captain and goal attack Sharelle McMahon 22 of 28.

Netballers are fond of saying no player is more important than any other. But next behind Colling had to be van Dyk because the bottom line is to win the ball has to get through the hoop more often than it does at the other end. No one does it better than the game's most celebrated player.

Van Dyk had to cope with a bolshie defender in Bianca Chatfield. They had a rare old battle, at one point wrestling for the ball a couple of seconds after the whistle had blown and play had stopped.

But van Dyk won't bag Australia's rough-house tactics. She's used to it and quietly she probably knows that Vilimaina Davu's ruggedly effective defensive work 30m away is often more bar room than balletic.

"I won't put the Aussies down," van Dyk said. "They're a team that can come out firing at any stage. They're really gutsy."

So they were, as they clung on to prevent New Zealand easing clear. This was a far different Australian team from that sunk to a record defeat in Auckland last year.

The midcourt clash was critical.

Where Laura Langman, Temepara George and captain Adine Wilson were generally slick and thoughtful with their passing, Australia struggled.

There was an element of throw and hope as the Australians pushed the envelope in a bid to bridge the gap on the scoreboard, which existed from the end of the first quarter.

New Zealand were 36-19 ahead at halftime, Australia had their best quarter to trim the margin to five goals, 46-41, but apart from a brief heart flutter for Aitken as the gap closed to 57-54 with 1min 50s left, the Silver Ferns - provided they didn't have a brain explosion - always had the whip hand.

"You had to be brave to win a game like this," Aitken said. "It was heaven and hell wrapped up in one."

Too right. A job well done.