15 January 2022, London – Two years later, the 2022 Netball Quad Series is back again, and the opener was against hosts and Commonwealth Champions England and African Champions South Africa.
The two were meeting for the 64th time today and England have bagged 48 wins against the fifteen of South Africa. In the last three meetings between the SPAR Proteas and Vitality Roses, England has won twice and lost once.
Dorette Badenhorst’s charges went into this game as the team that has had more games than that of England however it was the experience of the Roses that dominated the match.
It was England that drew first blood and got off the mark very quickly. They piled the pressure for eight minutes of the game, enjoyed a nine-point lead at some point however the SPAR Proteas fought their way back and reduced their deficit to three points with the first quarter ending 16-13 to England.
The start of the second quarter was no different for the Vitality Roses, they continued putting pressure on South Africa both at defence and attack. Dorette Badenhorst in midway in the second quarter putting on Zanele Vimbela at Goal Defence and moving Monique Reyneke to Wing Defence. Khanyisa Chawane was taken off. Vimbela is making her return to the team for the first time since 2020, she sustained an ACL injury back in 2020 during the Telkom Netball League. England took the second quarter 37-24.
The Vitality Roses made a few changes in the third quarter and the SPAR Proteas kept the team as it was in the second quarter. The Roses went into the last quarter with a comfortable 17 point lead, ending the quarter 53-36.
Badenhorst made a few positional changes in the last quarter with the introduction of Simone Rabie in defence, Tshina Mdau in midcourt and Sigrid Burger in attack. It was the English that upped the tempo and piled the pressure on the SPAR Proteas.
Rabie, unfortunately sustained an injury that saw Maweni coming back in defence for South Africa. England broke yet another record by reaching the 71-goal mark in the Quad Series, their highest previous goal score was 64 points.
“Well done to England on a great win and brilliant netball, I think on our end we made too many mistakes, we need to keep our own possession and do better next time. We need to go back to the basics and do better. I can promise you a better game tomorrow. We had a few players that have not played at this level, and it was good to see them take to court and play as well as they did,” said Dorette Badenhorst, SPAR Proteas Head Coach after the match.
England Starting VII:
GK: Eleanor Cardwell; GK: Helen Housby; C: Serena Guthrie; WA: Natalie Metcalfe; WD: Beth Cobden; GD: Layla Guscoth; GK: Geva Mentor
South Africa Starting VII:
GS: Ine-Mari Venter; GA: Lefebre Rademan; WA: Bongiwe Msomi; C: Izette Griesel; WD: Khanyisa Chawane; GD: Monique Reyneke; GK: Phumza Maweni
South Africa will take on Australia on Sunday 16 January 2022 at 16:00 CAT. The match will be televised on Supersport Variety 4 (Channel 209)
Score Breakdown
Q1 England 16 – 13 South Africa
Q2 England 37 – 24 South Africa
Q3 England 53 – 36 South Africa
Q4 England 71 – 47 South Africa
Photo Credit: England Netball / Ben Lumley Photo (@englandnetball @benlumleyphoto)
