Netball: Lightning's Clarke star performer in England's upset win v NZ
Netball - 14/May/2007
Loughborough Lightning midcourter Jade Clarke’s precision and speed helped England to record an upset 50-45 victory over World and Commonwealth netball champions New Zealand in Manchester on Sunday.
The win was England’s second victory over the Silver Ferns in 67 test matches. The first win was in 1975. The last time the two sides clashed, at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, New Zealand comfortably won 55-40.
"The team has been training hard, and putting in some good performances on the practice court,” England head coach Marg Cadlow told England Netball’s Web site after the game.
“It's fantastic that they have now put it into practice in a match, and it was the sign of a really classy performance that, when the pressure was on, they absorbed the pressure and then stepped up another gear.
“There is still much more work to do, but I am thrilled with the result.”
Clarke, along with Loughborough University alumni Karen Atkinson at wing attack, dominated the mid court for the first half with Sonia Mkoloma and Geva Mentor providing a tall and menacing presence in the defensive circle, which restricted the flow of ball to New Zealand’s goal shooter Irene van Dyk.
Clarke who was named player of the match, and Atkinson drove through New Zealand’s defence and mid court and provided numerous crisp passes into Louisa Brownfield and Pam Cookey in the England circle, with the home side racing to a 19-9 first quarter lead, which they held to lead 29-20 at half time and looked likely to run away with the match.
New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken, however, introduced Casey Williams and Joline Henry into her defence just before the break, which provided additional solidity at the back and sparked a second-half revival by the Silver Ferns.
New Zealand’s smothering midcourt defence allowed them to claw back three quick goals in the third quarter and went into the final quarter down 38-33.
Van Dyk slotted three in a row at the beginning of the final quarter and with wing defence Laura Langman making two interceptions, the gap closed to 40-38.
England, courtesy of a passionate crowd at the MEN Arena, responded to the pressure with Cookey slotting three crucial goals and Clarke making two key interceptions, and the momentum swung back towards the home side, who hung on for a morale-boosting win.
“We didn’t adjust to the speed of the game at the start and we didn’t have the links we needed to play a team like England,” Silver Ferns coach Aitken told Netball New Zealand’s Web site.
“We’ve always said with England that once they start putting their goals in they are going to be a team to be reckoned with and they showed that.”
England now play England ‘A’, while New Zealand next meet Australia on May 15 at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena. The test series ends on May 17 at Earl’s Court when England play Australia, while New Zealand play England ‘A’.
The series has been organised to help all three sides build up for the world championships in Auckland, New Zealand, in November.