The Silver Ferns have booked a place in the final of the Cadbury Netball Series with a 68-59 win over the Mixed Invitational.
Grace Nweke's consistent shooting helps Silver Ferns into final. Photo: Photosport
A rematch against the New Zealand Men awaits the Silver Ferns in Saturday's final in Auckland, after a settled line-up held off the challenge of the Mixed team.
Silver Ferns shooter Maia Wilson and defender Sulu Fitzpatrick were given the opportunity to further press their credentials at goal attack and goal defence, respectively.
Suffering a minor knock and sitting out Thursday's match as a precaution, shooter Grace Nweke returned to the line-up while midcourter Whitney Souness continued her transition into the centre role.
Both played influential roles with Nweke nailing 46 of her 50 attempts before going to the bench with six minutes left in the game.
With the speedy Australian duo of Kelsey Browne and Laura Scherian shoring up the midcourt, there was plenty of punch provided on attack for the Mixed team in the opening exchanges.
And with a height advantage of 20 centimetres between shooter Quintin Gerber and the Silver Ferns tallest in Kelly Jury, the Mixed team were intent on getting the ball into his reliable hands.
The Silver Ferns held the slightest of edges during the opening quarter, taking a 17-13 lead.
For the first time in the series, the Silver Ferns made no changes at the break, while midcourter, and game-day captain, Maddy Gordon and shooter Georgia Heffernan made their entrance for the Mixed team.
On the back of fine feeding from Gina Crampton, the tall figure of Nweke continued her strong showing during the second stanza.
Gordon also made her presence felt and provided a damaging partnership with Scherian in the midcourt while wing defence Stefan Swartz was an effective spoiler.
With more ball getting into the hands of the imposing Gerber, who converted 24 for from 25 for the half, and the scores tightening, Fitzpatrick made way for Phoenix Karaka.
The Mixed Invitational briefly hit the front, but the Silver Ferns had a 36-31 lead at the main break.
The Mixed team continued to challenge forcefully during the opening salvos of the third quarter but the Silver Ferns showed patience and held on to the ball. Eventually, that paid a price on the Mixed team.
The growing connection between Souness and Nweke blossomed, and the Silver Ferns pushed out to a 55-44 lead at the last turn.
In the other game on the third day of the series, the NZ Men had a comprehensive 65-44 win over NZ A.
Coming into the match with a two from two record and their spot in Saturday's final already secured, the Men had the luxury of resting many of their frontline players for the first half of the match.
