Netball: Fever knock over Tactix

The Tactix have shown a more competitive streak this season and have even chalked up two wins. Photo / Getty Images

It's a long trip from Nelson to Perth and the plane ride home to Australia will be a bit more comfortable for the West Coast Fever after they breezed past the Tactix 64-55 tonight.

The Fever have huge road trips for any away fixture but heading to the South Island is a massive trek for a game of netball but Norma Plummer's side showed no effects of the long haul as they easily accounted for the Cantabrians.

The Tactix have been the easy-beats of the ANZ Championship during the past few years but have shown a more competitive streak this season and have even chalked up two wins.

Tactix shooter Jo Harten had a decent battle with Fever goal keep Eboni Beckford-Chambers tonight and the two know each other well as they both play for England at international level.

English coach Anna Mayes was in the stands for the contest as she watched a few of her players in action, including Tactix centre Jade Clarke.

The second quarter shaped the game as the Fever went on a 7-0 run to establish a healthy advantage after the first stanza ended with a 19-17 lead to the Western Australians.

Canterbury turned the ball over regularly during the second period as Fever wing attack Verity Simmons was able to give comfortable service to shooters Catherine Cox (14/18) and Caitlin Bassett (48/54).

Bassett has been one of the most consistent shooters in the competition this season and the 1.92m 24-year-old proved tough to defend throughout the contest.

Fever centre Shae Bolton was also busy and despite the home side making a run in the third quarter they couldn't come within a five-goal buffer that the Fever comfortably held.

As the third stanza wore on the Fever extended their advantage and by the end of the quarter you could almost hear a pin drop at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson as the crowd fell out of the contest.

Cox had to leave the court late in the third quarter after she suffered a nasty twist of her ankle, which provided a rare opportunity for Kate Beveridge to get some court time.

As the teams returned to the court for the fourth quarter, the Fever held a 48-37 lead, which left the game lacking a competitive edge as the fever simply had to run out the clock.

The Tactix continued to give the ball away in the final quarter as the Fever finished off a comfortable win.

The victory moved the Fever to within one win of the top four while the Tactix are stuck in eighth place.

The Central Pulse and Northern Mystics complete round nine when they clash in Porirua tomorrow night. (mon)

West Coast Fever 64 (Caitlin Bassett 48/54, Catherine Cox 14/18, Kate Beveridge 2/3)

Canterbury Tactix 55 (Jo Harten 30/37, Julianna Naoupu 14/19, Sophia Fenwick 11/17) 1Q: 19-17, HT: 32-25, 3Q: 48-37.