Netball: Ferns too strong for Jamaica

Silver Ferns midcourter Temepara George. Photo / Getty Images

The Silver Ferns' growing confidence in their combinations and a steely resolve under pressure were rewarded with a 61-56 netball win over Jamaica in Kingston today.

The New Zealanders were pushed right to the final whistle in the first of two tests, but refused to be shaken and secured the hard-earned win with a perfectly timed five-goal run in the closing five minutes.

Ahead 31-29 at halftime and 46-43 at the end of the third quarter, the Silver Ferns' midcourt strength coupled with some outstanding shooting, won through in the final 15 minutes.

Goal attack Maria Tutaia was in outstanding form, missing only one shot in the entire game and with goal shoot Irene van Dyk missing only two, New Zealand's 95 per cent success rate proved invaluable.

New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken was well satisfied with her team's effort under trying conditions.

"I thought we played a patient game - there was huge pressure from the Jamaicans, I thought they played really well," she told Jamaican TV afterwards.

"But for us it was about keeping driving onto the ball and keeping that ball in hand, and I thought we did it in the end very well."

Aitken said key to the win had been keeping Jamaica's formidable shooting combination of Romelda Aiken and Simone Forbes under control.

"(Simone's) the maestro in that forecourt, she had a good game but we kept persevering with her and didn't give her too much room. We had to shut down that supply to Romelda because she's lethal once she gets the ball."

The accuracy of van Dyk and Tutaia played a huge part in the win, with Tutaia in particular stepping her game up a notch.

"Maria works the front of that circle really well, she's got a great long shot and she complements Irene very well," Aitken said. "I was very pleased, she was on fire tonight!"

The Silver Ferns' measured tactics saw the ball worked around with patience, as the midcourt took a low-risk approach to finding van Dyk and Tutaia.

The scores were tied 17-17 at the end of a relatively high-scoring first 15 minutes, and Aitken opted for her first personnel change of the match.

She brought on the long reach and quick hands of rookie wing defence Larrissa Willcox for the experienced Joline Henry, and the combination seemed to work as the Silver Ferns scored the first four goals of the spell.

But with Jamaican goal keep Althea Byfield proving increasingly destructive, and well supported by goal defence Nicole Aiken's quick hands and feet, the Sunshine Girls bounced back as the spell progressed.

New Zealand went into the break ahead 31-29, and having sunk all but one of their shots on goal. In contrast, Jamaica had missed five, with the Casey Williams-Katrina Grant combination keeping Aiken under tight wraps.

But wily goal attack Forbes proved more than equal to the task, her court work and eye for the goal keeping Jamaica in the match.

Williams was shifted back to goal keep in the third quarter, with Grant benched for the speedier Henry to return at goal defence, the new defensive combination keeping Forbes and Aiken under consistent pressure.

New Zealand's shooting accuracy and dominance in the midcourt ultimately proved the difference between the two teams, Laura Langman in particular outstanding at centre. Her combination with wing attack Temepara George is improving with every outing, and the pair get through a power of work on defence as well as providing real power and drive on attack.

Jamaica have only beaten New Zealand once in 42 tests, with their sole victory coming seven years ago when they lost the second match of a three-test series in Kingston 53-44 before the Silver Ferns took the series 2-1.

The Jamaicans couldn't replicate their form of two days ago when they upset Australia 56-55 in the second of two tests in Kingston. It was only their fourth win in over 30 tests against Australia.

The Silver Ferns' second test against Jamaica is on Friday (1pm NZT).

- NZPA