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Silver Ferns - 58 45 - England
FULLTIME - A handy win for NZ but England should be pleased with their efforts, all things considered. Click here for a full wrap.
Fourth quarter
1 min - Both teams working hard to the finish here. Wilson sinks a dagger, fitting way to finish
4 mins - Monica Falkner gets a huge ovation as she she takes the court for her test debut.
5 mins - Ekenasio pushed the NZ lead out to 16.
8 mins - Fitzpatrick continuing to wreak havoc in the England circle. Ekenasio does the rest at the other end of the court.
11 mins - Slick, three-pass entry to the circle and Ekenasio converts. NZ out to a 13-goal advantage.
12 mins - Wilson drains one from long-range. 30/33 attempts now.
13 mins - NZ's defence ramps up the intensity, forces another turnover. England up to the task themselves defensively, grab a steal.
15 mins - England open the final stanza with two baskets for Fisher.
Third quarter (46-35)
1 min - Fitzpatrick pulls down a huge rebound. Ekenasio pops one from mid-range as the quarter draws to a close.
2 mins - Another turnover by England and a mini-run for NZ, three straight to extend to an 11-goal lead.
3 mins - NZ patient in their attack, Ekenasio finishes with a bucket.
5 mins - Watson nabs an intercept, Wilson makes England pay.
6 mins - Fisher causing probems inside for NZ with her movement. Cuts the lead to six.
7 mins - Low-scoring quarter so far, both teams feeling the defensive pressure. Wilson and Ekenasio hit two straight for NZ.
9 mins - England sub Fisher making her presence felt with some slick shooting. NZ lacking a bit through the midcourt, another turnover conceded.
10 mins - NZ lock down defensively and force the held ball. England make NZ work hard, but Wilson wriggles free to score.
12 mins - Burger snatches an intercept. England pull it back with one of their own.
14 mins - Kirsten and Wilson combine for another one.
15 mins - Ekenasio sinks one to get the second half started.
HALFTIME
Second quarter (32-24)
1 min - NZ with a sloppy pass. Cardwell finally misses a shot.
3 mins - Fitpatrick steal, quick transition to Wilson who continues her red-hot shooting.
4 mins - Watson punces on a loose ball for another turnover and Ekenasio converts. NZ pulling away now.
5 mins - NZ force a turnover, Ekenasio pump fakes then drains the baseline shot.
6 mins - Fitzpatrick soars to make the interception, beautiful work. Ferns ring the subs.
8 mins - Slick passing interplay at the edge of the circle leads to a Wilson net.
9 mins - Patient build-up play by England results in another Cardwell bucket. Again, Wilson replies.
12 mins - Cardwell continues to make it rain, yet to miss tonight. But Wilson is just as hot, sinking her 13th of 13.
13 mins - Wilson from close range for NZ after the England turnover.
14 mins - Cardwell drains another deep one. Ekenasio replies with a bomb of her own for NZ.
15 mins - Lovely assist from Crampton to Ekenasio to get the quarter started.
First quarter (15-10)
1 min - Cardwell hits a long-range bomb for England. Corbyn airballs, makes up for it seconds later to close.
3 mins - England hit back-to-back buckets. Wilson answers for NZ.
5 mins - Wilson is cooking now, hits one from the carpark. Follows with a straight-away swish.
8 mins - Ekenasio drills another. Cardwell pulls one back for England.
10 mins - Crampton feeds Ekenasio, Wilson grabs a monster rebound and puts it back. NZ defence wins the intercept. Ekeansio misses and again Wilson is there to rebound and sink NZ's 7th.
12 mins - Wilson hits one from mid-range to extend the advantage. Corbyn sinks a baseline shot.
13 mins - Great defence denies England at the edge of the circle and forces the turnover. Ekenasio makes them pay.
14 mins - We're underway. Ekenasio buckets to get the scoreboard started. Cardwell reponds for England.
7:27pm - Both teams are being introduced, we'll be into some anthems, then some netball, very shortly.
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Betting odds:
New Zealand - $1.11 England - $5.50
Teams:
Silver Ferns squad:
Karin Burger, Gina Crampton, Ameliaranne Ekenasio (captain), Monica Falkner, Sulu Fitzpatrick, Kelly Jury, Claire Kersten, Shannon Saunders, Whitney Souness, Jane Watson, Sam Winders, Maia Wilson
England squad:
Eleanor Cardwell, George Fisher, Kadeen Corbin, Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, Yasmin Parsons, Laura Malcolm, Serena Guthrie, Gabriella Marshall, Jade Clarke, Imogen Allison, Amy Carter, Fran Williams, Razia Quashie, Vicki Oyesola, Jodie Gibson, Halimat Adio
Pre-match banter:
Roses co-captain Laura Malcolm putting positive spin on COVID-19 lockdown
By Grant Chapman
England co-captain Laura Malcolm is taking a glass-half-full attitude towards her team's international netball series against the Silver Ferns in Hamilton this week.
The Roses arrived in New Zealand on October 9, spending the first two weeks in COVID-19 quarantine in Christchurch, before back venturing out into the real world to tune up for the three tests against the world champions.
Many of their leading players were unavailable for the trip, committed to playing out the Australian Super Netball competition, while coach Jess Thirlby was forced to stay home, after testing positive for coronavirus.
The players haven't taken the court since May, when their domestic season was abandonned, while the Ferns have completed the ANZ Premiership and a quad series in preparation.
Those obstacles might seem insurmountable, but as stand-in coach Kat Ratnapala observes: "There have been a few surprises along the way, but I think we can handle most things thrown at us now."
The English camp has watched enviously, as their NZ counterparts battled NZ A, NZ U21 and NZ Men last week at Palmerston North. Their only gametime has come through a couple of practice outings against NZ A and U21 wider-squad members.
Malcom refuses to be daunted by the odds stacked against them.
"You can't NOT acknowledge that New Zealand have had their season - kind of a normal season really - had some time off and come back for the internationals," she tells Newshub. "It would be weird if you didn't acknowledge that.
"But I think the really unique opportunity we've had with the lockdowns is to work on little niggles, individual niggles… work on little areas of fitness that you don't normally get during a season.
"Normally it's just our season, followed by the international season, and you have to manage niggles and areas of your game, whereas we've had the opportunity to work on that and pay some attention to that.
"That's a real benefit we've had that they haven't. You can look at it as a negative that we haven't had our season or you can look at it as an opportunity for us to improve our game.
"I think that's how we've had to approach it."
The midcourt has told BBC that her Roses - the defending Commonwealth Games gold medallists - are here to win the series, as they prepare to defend their crown at Durban 2022.
"We are here to compete - we are here to take the test series.
"We can't even play a fun warm-up game together without wanting to beat each other."
