The England Roses have won their first-ever Series in New Zealand after a second-half comeback saw them win the final game of the Cadbury’s Series 49-45 against the Silver Ferns.
The much-anticipated Series for the Taini Jamison Trophy got underway on Monday 20th September when the Silver Ferns beat the Roses 49-42.
However, in match two of the three-match Series, the Roses made sure that the Silver Ferns couldn’t repeat their 3-0 success of 2020, and beat the hosts 55-45.
The two results set up the perfect final fixture in Christchurch as a win from either side would secure them the trophy.
After the first 15 minutes of the final match, it was impossible to tell who the trophy was going to go home with, as neither side managed to take the lead and the score was 12 all at the first interval.
It was the Silver Ferns that reacted best in the second quarter taking the game to England with a dominant display that ensured they went into half-time with a 10 goal lead.
However, the match was far from over with the all important championship quarter still to come and Jess Thirlby’s side once again showed their fight and spirit, just like in the second match, managing to reduce the gap to only four goals in the penultimate quarter of the series.
The final 15 was all that the series promised it to be: competitive, fast, and intense.
A shooting masterclass from England, which saw their shooting accuracy at 91%, secured the visitors the victory in the closing minutes as the match finished 49-45.
The win meant that Roses won the series 2-1 for the first time in history on New Zealand soil.
Congratulations to the England Roses, and well done to Netball New Zealand and England Netball for making sure the Series went ahead during a difficult time.
Results
Monday 20th September – New Zealand Silver Ferns 48 – 42 England Roses
Wednesday 23rd September – New Zealand Silver Ferns 42 – 55 England Roses
Friday 24th September – New Zealand Silver Ferns 45 – 49 England Roses