Silver Ferns deny Proteas with last-gasp winner

The Silver Ferns completed a clean sweep in dramatic fashion with a last-gasp goal to pip South Africa 57-56 in the third WM New Zealand Netball Series test for the Taini Jamison Trophy in Invercargill on Sunday.

On track to record just their second-ever win over the Silver Ferns in a history stretching 41 matches, South Africa held the upper hand for much of the game. Chasing the game through the first three-quarters, the Silver Ferns regained parity in the early stages off the final quarter which provided any number of drama-filled moments to leave the game delicately poised right to the end.

Adding to the tension, both teams had players – Silver Ferns midcourter Kimiora Poi and South Africa defender Nicola Smith – stood down for two minutes apiece after persistent infringing at different stages during the final 15 minutes.

Neither team took a backward step in a frenzied goal-for-goal finish with the scores all tied up. Pouncing on an opportunity, Silver Ferns midcourter Maddy Gordon grabbed a late turnover, the ball landing in rookie shooter Martina Salmon’s hands who calmly slotted the winner with five seconds left on the clock.

Improving throughout series, it was the one that got away for South Africa but the world’s fifth-ranked team have clearly shown they are a team on the improve and will only grow from the experience after reducing their losing deficits from 26 goals to 12 to one over the past week.

Starting with arguably their strongest seven, mercurial midcourter Peta Toeava returned to start at wing attack for the third clash, recovered for illness, wing defence Kate Heffernan took her place in the starter’s bib in front of her home crowd while goal attack Salmon, after making her Silver Ferns debut in the first test seven days ago, celebrated her first start at international level.

On a special night for the Proteas, who were celebrating the 100-test cap milestone for inspirational captain and wing attack Khanyisa Chawane, goal attack Owethu Ngabane got her first start of the series while Smith made a return as the starting goalkeeper.

Both sides produced a mixed opening stanza, the Silver Ferns being out of sorts and unable to respond to South Africa’s disruptive defensive patterns and flexible options on attack.

Proteas wing defence Shardine Van Der Merwe was instrumental in shutting down the threat of Toeava, resulting in less ball getting into key Silver Ferns strike weapon Grace Nweke’s hands.

For South Africa, the mix of short, sharp play and the growing success of the long bomb into impressive goal shoot Elmere van der Berg had the Silver Ferns bereft of answers.

Growing in confidence, the Proteas restricted the New Zealanders to a single digit return in the opening 15 minutes when the visitors took a 12-8 lead into the first break.

It didn’t get much better for the Silver Ferns on the resumption, the ball speed of the Proteas on attack and their smothering team defence putting the Silver Ferns firmly on the back foot.

Centre Gordon hobbled off after five minutes with an ankle problem to be replaced by Kimiora Poi, the Silver Ferns with plenty of work to do.

The height of van der Berg was key to the sharp feeding of Chawane and Tarle Mathe who orchestrated the momentum and speed of some dazzling passages of flowing play from the South Africans during the second stanza.

With their sweet timing on attack, stifling defence and full of confidence, South Africa pushed on forcefully to build a nine-goal lead before the Silver Ferns rallied late, nailing the last four of the quarter to reduce the deficit.

South Africa made full use of their greater command of possession to lead 29-23 at the main break.

With a noticeable lift in tempo and desire, the Silver Ferns dug deep to create a swing in momentum during an enterprising third quarter. The tall figures of game-day captain Nweke under the shooting hoop and defender Kelly Jackson being prominent figures.

The rangy Jackson picked off vital turnover ball while a better flow of ball found its way into Nweke’s hands, the prolific shooter gaining dominance in the air while closing out the Proteas’ defensive tactics.

Poi was a strong influence through the midcourt while Gordon’s return to the court, in the wing defence role, also proved timely. With the quarter winding down, energetic midcourter Mila Reulu-Buchanan took over from Toeava as the Silver Ferns narrowed the gap to two when the Proteas held a tenuous 43-41 lead at the last turn.