Silver Fern n-ballers glitter at world series

KINGSTON: New Zealand ended their five-year run of championship losses to archrivals Australia when they won the world netball final 49-47 on Sunday. New Zealand had lost to Australia in the final of the last World Championship in 1999, and at the last two Commonwealth Games. “This is definitely the best moment of my netball career, it is overwhelming,” New Zealand captain Anna Rowberry said. “This is just amazing, it’s just wicked.” The Silver Ferns led at every quarter, and centre Temepara Clark and goal keep Vilimaina Davu starred in restricting the Australians. Clark regularly intercepted passes and terrorised the Australian offence, and was sent off for two centre court passes midway through the final quarter for repeated violations. On her return with a one-goal lead, she immediately made another intercept.

“I’ve just been so impressed with the strength of this team, their courage and their determination to let nothing put them off their task,” New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken said. “We had to play with six on court at one stage but it didn’t matter.” Irene van Dyk shot 41 goals and goal attack Belinda Colling scored 8-of-10 for New Zealand’s first world title since 1987. Goal attack Sharelle McMahon scored 25 from 28 attempts, but Australia shot less than 80 percent overall and could not give captain Kathryn Harby-Williams, Rebecca Sanders, reserve  Nicole Richardson and coach Jill McIntosh a fitting farewell. They retired after the match. Jamaica, with 38-year-old Connie Francis playing her fifth worlds, finished third with a 46-40 win over England. South Africa won the fifth-place playoff 56-47 from Samoa, and Barbados  won the seventh-place match 47-45 over Fiji.