Netball: Umpires dropped clanger over buzzer, Rebels claim

Force coach Yvonne Willering rejects claims that her side were wrongfully awarded a penalty shot in their match against the Otago Rebels after the umpires failed to hear the buzzer and allowed the match to go on.

The Force won the match 50-45 in extra time, but the Rebels claim the match should never have gone into extra time and have lodged a protest with Netball New Zealand.

For the first time in the competition buzzers are being used to signal the end of quarters. In the past, timekeepers have informed the umpires when time is up.

On Sunday, the Rebels were ahead 42-41 when the buzzer sounded. However, the Rebels allege the match continued for at least another 17 seconds in which time the Force nailed a penalty shot which took the game into extra time. The Rebels claim time was up before the penalty shot was awarded and that umpires Amanda Nottingham and Bobbi Brown failed to hear the buzzer due to crowd noise.

If the electronic buzzer fails, the timekeeper is required to indicate to the umpire that time is up. However, on Sunday it appears that did not happen fast enough.

Rebels coach Lois Muir said a better backup system was needed.

She said when time was up it needed to be relayed straight from the scorebench to the umpire. A method that has been tested involves a vibrating mechanism which is attached to umpires and alerts them when time is up. However, the rule book states that play is determined by the umpire's whistle.

Willering said she saw it differently to the Rebels but concedes her focus was on her team rather than the clock.

"The rule is that the umpire's whistle ends the game and that is all there is to it."