Netball: The court is in session

The evidence: Anna Scarlett (left) obstructs Irene van Dyk as she shoots the ball during the Diamonds' upset win over the Magic. Sandra Mu / Getty Images

The crime:

Anna Scarlett was all over Irene van Dyk in the Diamonds' upset win over the Magic.

Has Scarlett discovered a weakness, should the Silver Ferns be worried or did the umpires let the Diamonds defender get away with blue murder?

The accused:

With her long limbs, powerful elevation and enthusiasm Scarlett is a menace to any shooter.

At 1.87m tall, Scarlett is big on the jump shot - deflecting the ball as it leaves the shooter's hands.

"It is our job to intimidate the shooter in terms of putting them off their shot," Scarlett said.

"If you get your timing right ... it works well. Often shooters and umpires think you are pushing the limits, I don't go out to do that."

The rules stipulate defenders must be three feet (.9m) away from their opponents, they cannot touch the ball when it is in their opponent's hands, or the opponent herself. Some deem Scarlett and Stephanie Bond were guilty of too much contact against van Dyk.

"It is a very difficult job being an umpire, I don't think we got away with things we shouldn't have. I think people should go back and look at the video," Scarlett said.

"There were moments where both Irene and I had a good patch then one got the better of the other. It was an enjoyable game."

The victim:

Despite her bruising encounter with Scarlett, van Dyk still managed to net 35 goals from 40 attempts.

But Scarlett did force her into a couple of uncharacteristic errors, indicating a possible chink in the shooting maestro's armour.

The difficulty, when weighing up Scarlett's performance, is that some of the Diamonds' defence tactics were a little borderline. Van Dyk was on the receiving end of plenty of contact and at one stage even turned to the umpire and said "I can't see" as a hand was illegally waved in front of her eyes.

While the Magic were no angels, the Diamonds' methods were a little more forceful, possibly because they were in a must-win situation.

So did van Dyk think she was hard done by in terms of umpiring, or did Scarlett get the better of her?

"I felt she got away with a bit more than I thought she would of. Whenever you look through different games she has played, different umpires handle her differently. If she gets away with it why not play that way.

"If she plays for New Zealand we want her to get away with it. She is a very skilled player, she has lots of talent and she has got an amazing jump."

Although varying interpretations are part of the game, van Dyk said it could be frustrating.

"I am taller [1.90m] than anyone in the competition and both her and [Stephanie] Bond got my ball every single time. It gets a bit frustrating but it is not only the defenders, the attackers get away with murder too at times.

"I know at the end of the day every one is human and everyone makes mistakes. Although it is frustrating you can't let it show.

"When things like that happen to me I look at how I can be better than the defender, no matter what they pull on me."

Both Scarlett and Vilimaina Davu were"torturous". "If I was [Australian coach] Norma Plummer I would get the videos of our games against the Flames and Diamonds and I would know exactly how to shut down the shooters."

The verdict:

Joan Hodson - former Diamonds coach and umpire.

"I would criticise the umpires. Their [Bond and Scarlett's] distance looked fine but it is the late hitting on the hands when the shooters are going to shoot that is the problem.

"Irene didn't do herself any favours by showing Scarlett she was getting annoyed by it.

"But in saying that, they were breaking the rules and they weren't being pulled up for it."

She said van Dyk was accustomed to such tactics, Australia did it to her all the time, so she was surprised to see the shooter get a little flustered.

"If Aussie got that tape and they would know now how to get into Irene's head."

Lois Muir - former New Zealand and Otago Rebels coach.

"I think the umpires failed to get on top of things and started to call things nearer to the end that affected the game. The umpires were under a lot of pressure to let the game flow but it shouldn't be to the detriment of one team.

"What happens in a game like that is you might as well have a go and that is what they did which makes it difficult for the umpires to make decisions.

"I think Stephanie [Bond] and Anna [Scarlett] were in a dominant position, they had a licence to kill.

"I think Irene certainly got hit a few times when she was shooting. Irene had to put up with being pushed shoved and guarded but she coped."