Victorian challenge

Press, 10 May 1980, Page 20

Victorian challenge

Cath Brown, the Canterbury netball coach, will not be looking for one particular “double” this month. Although her Albion club side won the New Zealand women’s club softball title in March, Miss Brown’s coaching of the provincial softball team — for the first time — only brought it runner-up honours. “Not a position I like to be in; I hate losing,” was Miss Brown’s observation, and she will not be looking for second placing again when the Canterbury netball team plays Victoria at Canterbury Court on May 21. Tradition is on Canterbury’s side, however. For several years now, it has been unbeaten against Victorian —and even Australian — teams when it has played them at home. Victoria is sending a

youthful team, all of them under 25, and so, quite coincidentally, is the Canterbury side, though not chosen as such; it has an average age of 21. As well as the representative match, the Victorians will be faced with a club tournament next Saturday, and that will give Canterbury club players an opportunity to match skills and contrasting styles with the visitors. They play a fast, onehanded. running game, in vivid contrast to that of New Zealand sides, and the umpiring has its differences of interpretations, although both South Pacific countries use the same rule book. The Australian umpire travelling with the Victorians will probably allow more contact than her New Zealand counterparts, but less on stepping.