Netball stars reach for Constellation Cup

Netball finally has its Bledisloe Cup, 72 years after New Zealand and Australia commenced a rivalry which spans almost 100 tests.

The three-test series that starts tomorrow at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre may be a fine tuning exercise before the Delhi Commonwealth Games in October - but there is a historic reward for the winner, a sterling silver trophy encrusted with 101 diamonds.

The Constellation Cup -- named in recognition of the Southern Cross star system which looks down on both countries - was unveiled by Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand today, on the eve of the 97th test between the world's No 1 and 2 ranked nations.

Previously sponsors trophies had been awarded at the end of series played in the host country - now the Constellation Cup is an enduring symbol of trans-Tasman netball supremacy.

"It's great that as a sport we're finally recognising our history," said Australian captain Sharelle McMahon.

"It's going to be good for women and our sport," agreed Silver Ferns counterpart Casey Williams.

"It shows the professional way netball is going."

The Cup is comprised of two parts - the Australian-designed silver trophy and the display case, which has been crafted from black maire, New Zealand's hardest wood.

The launch of the Cup, which will be awarded to McMahon or Williams after the third test in Auckland next Sunday by New Zealand's Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand, neatly coincides with the 50th anniversary of New Zealand's first seven-a-side netball tour of Australia.

Led by Dixie Cockerton and featuring current Netball New Zealand president Dame Lois Muir, the 10-strong squad was the first

to play an international test series in the modern era, sowing the seeds of a fierce trans-Tasman rivalry that had been sporadic since the inaugural contest in 1938.

Cockerton's tourists were the first New Zealand-representative team to tour Australia in 22 years and had to modify their playing style after previously playing nine-a-side.

New Zealand won the first test on a converted grass tennis court in Adelaide 49-40, but lost the second in Melbourne 44-39 before experiencing a heartbreaking one-goal loss in the final test at Sydney, 46-45.

- NZPA