Central Pulse were left ruing a slow start after they went down 51-41 to defending champions Adelaide Thunderbirds.

The Melbourne Vixens led from start to finish in a 49-45 triumph over the Sydney Swifts.

To the Magic went the spoils, along with the maintenance of a 100 per cent record against the Mystics last night.

The Herald's netball writer Dana Johannsen provides a complete guide to the ANZ Championship which kicks off this weekend.

The Mystics' tag as perennial under-achievers is starting to wear thin with captain Temepara George.

It'll be a feast for fans as top players battle it out in this year's condensed netball timetable.

Former Silver Ferns shooter Tania Dalton is poised to make a shock return to top level netball at the age of 39.

The Silver Ferns will play Australia in a two-test series less than a month out from next year's world netball champs.

The Northern Mystics have been "confronting a few realities" as they look to shake off their tag as perennial underachievers.

Auckland police say they have been assured by Chinese authorities that Zhen Xiao will not face the death sentence if he is convicted of murdering Auckland taxi driver Hiren Mohini.

A man accused of murdering a woman by deliberately swerving into her car said he "might as well" kill himself, a court had been told.

The Southern Steel will be looking for a new home next season after Stadium Southland suffered extensive damage in a snow storm.