SA netball team hit top form before Commonwealth Games

THE Proteas netball team wielded the whitewash brush to good effect as they ran out 46-33 third-test winners over Scotland's Thistles at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town on Saturday.

With 56-29 and 41-25 wins from the first two tests, the Proteas will be off to next month's Commonwealth Games with loads of confidence in their ranks.

Despite the 3-0 series defeat, the Thistles improved with every outing and provided the Proteas with a great opportunity to work on areas of their game needing attention.

With the likelihood of a series whitewash at the back of their minds, the Proteas started off nervously and that saw them trail 2-1 after only three minutes' play.

This served as a wake-up call for the home side, who responded with superb intensity as their silky skills came to the fore.

In the space of six minutes, they halted the Thistles' charge by running up a 7-4 lead.

As play moved towards the end of the first quarter, the frenetic playing patterns gave way to a more cautious approach from both sides. During this phase of play, Scotland were the more prolific scorers as their moves proved the more penetrative and, surprisingly, they saw the quarter out in relative comfort with an 11-9 lead.

Another tense start by the Proteas, who resumed with two changes, made for a slowish fightback.

As a result, it needed some three minutes play for them to draw level at 12-all as the local fans roared their delight.

A two-minute time-out midway through this quarter after an injury to Thistles captain Lesley MacDonald gave the two coaches a chance for animated pep talks.

The teams upped the tempo when the game restarted.

This made for plenty of action and the scoreboard seesawed as the ferocious contest, littered with turnovers, ahead of the half-time break saw the Proteas regain the lead by a slender 20 to 19.

This second-quarter display by the Thistles was possibly their best quarter performance and, although they surrendered the lead, they still outscored their higher worldranked opponents by 10 goals to 9.

The Proteas were far more assured and confident under the post when play resumed.

It was great reward for vastly improved inter-passing which caused the Thistles to lose their markers.

It also helped the Proteas to play with less anxiety and they made their efforts count as they raced ahead 26-21 with nine minutes' play left in the quarter.

The rising scoreline impacted on the Proteas' momentum as it gathered pace and the Thistles were left chasing the match.

Their third-quarter superiority in all phases of play saw the Proteas pull away with a massive 10-goal lead at 34-24.

When the final quarter's play resumed, the Proteas were not allowed to dominate possession as the Thistles managed to provide a determined defence.

However, they were never able to cope with the Proteas' unrelenting pressure, although they slowed down the victory march with their fierce play.

In the end, though, South Africa signed off with a 46-33 triumph.