Malawi bounce back against SA

Malawi bounced back from defeat to beat South Africa 38-34 in the third and final Spar Challenge netball Test on Wednesday, to level the series one-all.

After their outstanding performance in Cape Town on Monday when they beat Malawi 56-35, South Africa appeared somewhat jaded, and mistakes once again bedevilled their play. Malawi, on the other hand, played like demons, and having taken an early lead, never allowed the hosts to get ahead.

South Africa started with the same line-up that won Monday's match, but coach Burta de Kock made a number of changes during the game. Captain Bronwyn Bock-Jonathan and vice-captain Leigh-Ann Zackey were both substituted after the first quarter, with Refiloe Mochaka coming on for Bock-Jonathan and Adele Niemand replacing Zackey. With their two leaders gone, the players seemed uncertain at times and were often indecisive with ball in hand.

Malawi ended the first quarter 10-8 ahead, and the teams traded goal for goal in the second quarter, each scoring seven times.

In the third quarter, Malawi initially went into a five goal lead, but South Africa surged back strongly to outscore Malawi by eleven goals to nine as the teams ended level on 26-26.

It was all Malawi in the final quarter, with the visitors scoring 12 goals to South Africa's eight.

"We had enough ball possession, our defence was good, but we were not strong enough in attack, and our shooting let us down," lamented De Kock.

"The players didn't seem to be able to put all the movements we had practised into effect."

She rejected suggestions that South Africa might have been complacent after their emphatic win on Monday.

"They were on a high after the win, but they knew the job was not finished," she said. "If anything, they were even more tense, because expectations were greater after than win."