Fine Netball As Top Sides Clash

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32323, 15 June 1970, Page 13

Fine Netball As Top Sides Clash

In the best game of netball seen at the Hagley courts this season, Sacred Heart beat Technical to take the lead at the end of the first round of competition. Both teams played netball of a standard not normally reached by many provincial teams. Technical probably lost because of nervousness, which slowed down its game and kept it trailing Sacred Heart. St Nicholas, one of the bottom teams in the competition, beat Teachers’ College to gain a well-deserved victory. The games between New Brighton and Riccarton, and Cashmere and Hagley were extremely scrappy and hardly up to senior standard. New Brighton and Hagley won their games. Results were:— « Sacred Heart 30, Technical 27. St Nicholas 28, Teachers* College 27. New Brighton 22, Riccarton 19. Hagley 22, Cashmere 15. Points after the first complete round of competition are: Sacred Heart 14, Technical 12, Hagley 10, New Brighton 6, Teachers’ College 6, St Nicholas 4, Riccarton 4, Cashmere 0.

Sacred Heart and Technical were leading the competition before they met. Both are well clear of the rest of the competition in points and in their high standard of play. The Sacred Heart defences played a spectacular game which bettered any defence combination seen in. the recent New Zealand trials. B. Walker and M. Gee blocked the Technical circle so effectively that they virtually paralysed S. Norman, the Technical goal shoot, and forced M. Holland to use all her skill at dodging to enter the circle. Both the Technical shooters were severely restricted in their shooting, but played extremely well under such heavy pressure. With smoother centre to circle combination Technical would have been as likely to win.

Technical caught Sacred Heart at 6-6 after the first 10 minutes of play, but by halftime, Sacred Heart had again drawn ahead to 15-10. S. Rogers and L. Burney, the Technical defences, used a close-partner defence most effectively and made the Sacred Heart shooters, J. Harnett and E. Price, work hard for every : ball they took. Sacred Heart was handicapped in that its new centre, B. Beban, an extremely promising | player, was used to indoor basI ketball and was frequently penalised for stepping and tended Ito pass erratically. However,

the Sacred Heart wing attack; A. O’Sullivan, played a superb game. She had a complete understanding of the court play. The players were well matched in that each team had two New Zealand representatives, Technical s Norman and S. Langropc and Sacref' Heart’s Harnett and Walker. However, these players, although outstanding, were competently marked by the other The referee, Mrs L; Bint, did much to help the play by her excellent refereeing. . St Nicholas tons > Teachers’ College had scored three points before St Nicholas shot its first goal. fc. Davis and G. Norton moved well irf the St Nicholas circle, but had to combat the strong Teachers’ College defence of S. Falvey and J. Davies. The Teachers' College combination had improved with the ball going smoothly from the centre to circle., D. Barnett used her hop and shoot method to effect and shot accurately. C. O’Malley, at goal shoot, dodged well, but lacked the same accuracy. St Nicholas picked up from five goals behind to an equal score of 12-12, helped by several quick goals in succession shot by Davis. R. Henry combined well with C. Ireland and J. Gibson, the St Nicholas winga, but they were unable to contain Teachers’ College for long and were down, 13-17, by half-time. St Nicholas drew level again to 17-17 within five minutes of the restart of play only to lose the advantage again by three rioints. Both teams were playng to capacity. B. Nurse played a splendid game for St Nicholas, guarding closely and taking several interceptions in the second half. The score stayed at 20-all for several minutes, while the teams switched possession, then St Nicholas shot two goals and Teachers’ College lost time and opportunities in jockeying for close positions in the circle.

St Nicholas, although caught again twice, was never behind and gained the vital goal at the end to win, 28-27, for its best performance in the last two seasons in the senior grade.

Disappointment Both Hagley and Cashmere played scrappy netball. It was disappointing, for Hagley is capable of strong, consistent play. C. Cottrell was the mainstay for Hagley at centre and while C. Robb, the goal attack, continued to move well ih the circle, she had a very poor shooting average. Hagley had more than twice the shooting

chances in the first half, but i the difference at the break was i only three points, 9-6. The new Cashmere goal attack, J. Baughan, shot reason- , ably well for her first game in j the senior grade and combined : intelligently with P. Taylor to ! field the strongest attacking line-up Cashmere has shown this season. Play was erratic and combina- < tions were piecemeal on both > sides. Cashmere could well i have beaten the Hagley team < and on several occasions drew vclose to equalising the score. < Hagley will meet Technical next 1 Saturday in the first game of ; the second round and it is ■ hoped that it matches the Tech- !

nicai standard, of which Hagley is well capable. Slow Game The New Brighton-Riccarton game was characterised by its slowness, poor ball handling and a general atmosphere of tiredness. What should have been a most exciting game in that both teams had four points each in the competition, was dull and depressing. Scoring was very close, but marked by numerous unsuccessful attempts on both sides. Shortly after half-time the score was even at 18-all, but New Brighton forced itself into an attempt at combination, which gave it the final lead of