Netball: Van Dyk must be in coach's plans

By RICHARD BOOCK

Irene van Dyk is expected to further her claims for a New Zealand call-up and boost the Shakers' prospects of a home semifinal when the national netball league continues this weekend.

Caught in the middle of a fierce debate over eligibility rules after making herself available for New Zealand this year, the former South African captain is not expected to be unduly extended tomorrow as her newly-adopted Shakers square off against cellar-dwellers Magic in Wellington.

The deadliest shoot in world netball made herself available for the Silver Ferns just days before knee-surgery raised serious doubts about the future of New Zealand captain and goal-attack Belinda Colling, and seems almost certain to be picked in Yvonne Willering's line-up for next month's one-off test against Australia.

Having maintained an impressive 93 per cent success rate through the first six rounds of the Coca-Cola Cup, van Dyk comfortably leads the league in goal-shooting despite putting up nearly 100 attempts more than any of her rivals, and on current form must be one of the first Silver Ferns selected.

Of New Zealand's shooters at last year's world championship campaign, Donna Loffhagen is showing impressive touches, but Colling is under an injury cloud, Teresa Tairi is averaging just 67 per cent for the Force, and the Rebels' Adine Harper is still unproven at international level.

Van Dyk, who emerged from the world championship campaign as the tournament's leading shoot after nailing an astonishing 359 shots from 381 attempts (94.2 per cent), has also moved to the top of the Cup's MVP points table, and could prove difficult to shift.

Her Shakers' side are third, below defending champions Sting and the second-placed Force, but are anxious to do everything they can to grab a top-two placing and a subsequent home semifinal.

The Force will have much the same plan in mind but face a much tougher task in overcoming the Flames in Christchurch tomorrow, while the Diamonds and the Western Flyers clash tonight at Unitec Stadium, and those southern neighbours, the Rebels and the Sting, stage a replay of last year's final in Dunedin.