Captain Khanyisa Chawane of the SPAR Proteas in action during the decisive SPAR Netball Challenge clash against England at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg on Sunday. South Africa’s 65-50 victory secured a historic series win over the world No 4. Photo: Backpagepix South Africa established a solid foundation for a series victory with a strong performance in the opening two quarters of the third and final Test against the England Roses at the Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon.
Moments before the final whistle blew, the crowd erupted in celebration, recognising the SPAR Proteas’ impressive 65–50 triumph to cap a rare series triumph against the formidable world No 4 team. Following England’s victory (61–49) in Saturday’s second Test, the stage was set for the crucial deciding match of the SPAR Challenge. The Proteas, ranked No 5 in the world, had emerged victorious over England’s Vitality Roses with a score of 52–48 in the first Test last week Thursday.
Fuelled by the roars of a home crowd exceeding 4 000 partisan supporters, the Proteas swiftly seized control of the match, executing fast-paced plays that England struggled to manage. Additionally, the Proteas’ defensive line effectively neutralised the visitors’ offensive efforts, which characterised the remainder of the game, except briefly in the third quarter. England struggled with shooting precision whenever they managed to penetrate the Proteas’ defence.
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Furthermore, they found it difficult to establish a consistent rhythm throughout the match. At the end of the first quarter, the Proteas held a 16–9 advantage, which accurately reflected the play. During the second quarter, the Proteas enhanced their intensity on both offence and defence, while England struggled to regain control.
After 10 minutes, the Proteas extended their lead to 23–14, and this momentum allowed them to increase their pace and effectiveness on the court. A general view of the capacity crowd at the Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg during the deciding Test of the SPAR Netball Challenge between South Africa and England on Sunday. The home fans were treated to a dominant 65-50 win as the SPAR Proteas secured a 2-1 series victory.
Photo: Backpagepix Facing a 36–21 half-time deficit, England dug deep and managed to claw their way to 52–38 on the back of some well-taken turnovers in the third quarter. At the start of the final quarter, however, Proteas coach Jenny van Wyk brought on the rest of the substitutes, and this was the cue for an all-out effort. The Proteas’ three-player defence was as decisive as ever, putting an end to any hopes England had of stealing victory from the jaws of defeat. Following the impressive victory over highly fancied England, Van Wyk can now look forward to building on the base of a series victory as she begins preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow later this year.
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