Netball: Tall order for Canadians

By Richard Boock

CHRISTCHURCH - It was a case of better late than never for Malawi's national netballers yesterday, but another day of suspended animation for the Silver Ferns.

While Malawi - the eighth seeds - were sleeping off the effects of a four-day horror trip to the world netball championships yesterday morning, the New Zealanders were trying to cope with their own tedium after a lengthy build-up to their 10th title bid.

The Silver Ferns will finally take the court tonight when they face Canada, immediately after an official opening ceremony which will be most notable for the absence of Botswana, who withdrew just yesterday morning with funding difficulties Delayed and detoured by the effects of Hurricane Floyd, the Malawi team was scheduled to arrive in New Zealand on Saturday, but staggered in at 2am yesterday morning - exhausted and too disoriented to speak to reporters about the journey, or about rumours they had not brought their top line-up.

Botswana, on the other hand, never got to first base after an eleventh-hour decision to withdraw funding was apparently made by top military personnel.

However, the comings and goings of the African teams would have been the last thing on the minds of New Zealand's first opponents, who have paid plenty for the privilege of a certain hammering in Christchurch this evening.

The 11th-seeded Canadians, who seldom play together as a team and were beaten last week by Nelson Bays, have forked out up to C$4000 each to attend the championships - and are understandably keen to get their money's worth.

"I'm still amazed by their enthusiasm," Canada's manager Mary Webb said yesterday of her players. "They really had to go the extra yard to get here, and - though they'll never be ready for New Zealand - they'll be there on the night. Don't worry about that."

A shoe-string budget and massive distances between the players means Canada hardly ever plays together except at world championship tournaments, and Webb said the team would take its time adjusting to the highly-charged atmosphere in Christchurch.

Canada's line-up contains five students, one of which (goal-shoot Kristine Spekkens) is in her fourth year studying astro-physics, and is expected to place an emphasis on defence, with Webb hinting the Ferns' attack end were in for a tough day at the office.

"Our philosophy is that, even if we can't turn on the magic in the goal-shooting circle, we can at least defend our hearts out. There's no excuse for not being able to play defence. It's an attitude thing, it comes down to character - and there's plenty of that in the side."

New Zealand: Belinda Colling (captain), Donna Loffhagen, Adine Harper,Teresa Tairi, Anna Rowberry, Sonya Hardcastle, Julie Seymour, Lesley Nicol, Belinda Charteris, Lorna Suafoa, Linda Vagana, Bernice Mene.

Canada: Dana Graf, Shelley Sung, Kristine Spekkens, Maralyn Hope, Shirley-Anne George, Joanne Burns, Maria Hodgins, Kim Grout, Patricia Carlson, Dulcinda Wind, Shawnette Hardware, Keisha Wilson.