While both the White Ferns and Silver Ferns lost to England in the past week, they should have gained an insight into what's needed for their World Cup and the Commonwealth Games campaigns, now on the horizon.
Netball writer Suzanne McFadden and Canterbury Magicians cricketer Kristy Havill look at what both teams can take from their series.
NETBALL
Silver Ferns lose 2-1 to the England Roses in Christchurch
Future Ferns:
Tiana Metuarau and Grace Nweke gave us a glimpse into the future, of what the Silver Ferns’ shooting attack could look like in a few years’ time. Metuarau was New Zealand’s revelation of the series. Bold, feisty, strong and accurate – shooting 90 percent, and from range each time she stepped out on court – the 20-year-old couldn’t have had a better debut against some of the world's grittiest defenders (other than getting injured). It was a shame Metuarau suffered an adductor strain for the final test; Taurua was keen to see how she’d stand up to the stresses of three games in a week.
Nweke wasn’t happy with her debut - shooting 16 from 20, as the English smothered her feeders - but her potential, with that height and reach, is so obvious. It was good to see Georgia Tong get a run, albeit brief, in the final game; the Magic toiler deserving her first appearance in the black dress.
Shooting boost:
Coming into the series, the Silver Ferns shooting end looked shaky - without Ekenasio and with Maia Wilson coming off a forgettable ANZ Premiership season, uncharacteristically off-target under the net. But Wilson's confidence grew as the series wore on, ending with 29 from 33 (88 percent) in the third test. The experienced Te Paea Selby-Rickit, who hadn’t played in a test since January 2020, was in the thick of it for most of that game at goal attack, feeding strongly and sinking her longer-range shots. Metuarau and Nweke proved they will be strong options with more time, too. Now it’s a matter of perfecting the delivery of ball into their hands.
Tuakana-Teina:
In three tests, the Silver Ferns had three different captains – Gina Crampton, Sulu Fitzpatrick and Sam Winders; all leading on an international court for the first time. It wasn’t what Taurua has planned, with the changes forced by injuries. But it put to work what's been learned through the new leadership programme, Tuakana-Teina (the relationship between an older and a younger person) - introduced after the loss of "the fossils" following the World Cup victory.
ANZ Premiership captains have been working with Silver Ferns leaders, in particular former Ferns captain Laura Langman as a mentor, to build up their leadership bank. It was smart keeping a very pregnant Ameliaranne Ekenasio behind the bench and in the leadership loop, too.
'Reactive and stagnant':
Taurua was understandably unimpressed by the way the Ferns let a 10-goal lead at halftime disintegrate in that final test drubbing – they were “reactive and stagnant” in an awful second half. When England rang in the changes, the Ferns had no answer.
So how do the Silver Ferns stick to playing their own game and adapting quickly to change? That could come down to more maturity in each third of the court – with the return of experienced players like Ekenasio, Katrina Rore and Jane Watson next year - and having more tools to overcome the stifling man-on-man marking both England and Australia employ so well.
Coping with Covid:
England may have thought they’d be the side most affected by the pandemic in this Taini Jamison Trophy series. But it was the home side who ended up with the short end of the stick – their camps cancelled, players preparing alone in lockdown and having only three days as a team before the opening test. They may have been fit, but they weren’t match-ready – obvious in their string of injuries and second-half capitulations in the final two tests.
The Ferns will now play three matches with the NZ Men in Hamilton starting in a fortnight. But they will need as much international play as they can muster between now and the Commonwealth Games next July, and then the 2023 World Cup – but again, it all depends on how this pandemic pans out. England have been re-routed home, with their series in Australia next week now cancelled because of Covid restrictions (meaning the Diamonds won’t have hosted a test series for two years).
CRICKET
White Ferns lose 4-1 in the ODI series in England
Bowling attack fires:
The White Ferns have renewed their ability to take 10 wickets, as they regularly skittled England’s vaunted top and middle order batting line-up throughout the ODI series. This is a huge step in the right direction since the Ferns met them last summer at home, and a testament to the whole bowling group standing up at various times.
Special shout-outs to Hannah Rowe, who had her best series in the black shirt to date, while 20-year-old Molly Penfold is an absolute find for the future. This young woman is rapid and she’s only going to get quicker. There may be questions around her accuracy, but that will come with time and experience.
Mum’s the word:
Lea Tahuhu wasn’t to be outdone by her fellow seamers, as she and wife Amy Satterthwaite continue to break down the belief that women have to choose between children and careers, by continuing to deliver standout performances as parents. Tahuhu’s maiden five-wicket bag in her international career in the third ODI signalled she still has so much to offer, while the elegant left-handed batter Satterthwaite continues to wave her Kookaburra wand, adding two more half centuries to her run-scoring record.
Tahuhu’s crucial knock and match-winning six in game three shows she’s no slouch with the bat either. The pair will do everything they can to ensure the team contests the World Cup final at their home ground, Hagley Oval, next April.
A much-needed Halliday:
Brooke Halliday’s introduction to the international arena in the middle order is proving to be a masterstroke. The two glorious, lofted straight drives to the fence in the fourth ODI were a thing of beauty for any cricket fan. She’s proven her ability to tailor her approach at the crease depending on what the team needs most from her, and the fact she’s a left-handed bat also gives the White Ferns flexibility in changing their batting order if required.
But there’s still a lot to be desired when it comes to a couple of spots in the White Ferns batting line-up – particularly Lauren Down’s opening spot and where Maddy Green fits into things, if at all, when Amelia Kerr returns.
Grit and fight:
The White Ferns’ performances earlier in the year against England and Australia could be described as rather meek and timid in parts. Players were batting out of position, bowlers were struggling to string together long periods of sustained pressure, and ultimately the team looked all at sea. But their fortnightly camps since the beginning of June focused on becoming more connected as a unit, and this tour has seen their hard work starting to come to fruition.
Okay, the shambolic 203-run loss in the fifth ODI was an anomaly in this series. But the rewards are generally flowing onto the field, where the team is staying in the fight and gutsing things out - where the White Ferns of months ago may have rolled over a lot sooner. They’ll be kicking themselves that they couldn’t convert favourable positions into a couple more wins, but the fact they are putting themselves in those circumstances in the first place shows they’re on their way to unlocking more victories.
Home track heroes:
So, the big question – can the White Ferns go all the way and win the World Cup on home soil this summer? Some pundits and fans will scoff at the idea and write them off to not even make the semi-finals, let alone being finalists or champions. But anything can happen in knockout tournaments, and mathematically they’ve got a chance just by being there. There will be an element of pressure to perform at home, but it won’t be on the astronomical scale that Australia, England and even India will be under.
The White Ferns have shown they can foot it with one of the best sides in the world in this series, and what better opportunity to continue showcasing the brand of cricket they’re building. And that’s gritting their teeth, hanging tough and going about their work in true down-to-earth Kiwi style.
