Adrian Seconi

The Steel will be missing experienced shooters Donna Wilkins and Jodi Brown for pre-season games in Christchurch this weekend.

Auckland's Anaru Kitchen has one day a year when he makes batting look ridiculously easy.

Otago has been eliminated from the one-day tournament after a comprehensive 73-run loss to Auckland in the preliminary final at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.

The Steel netball franchise's financial situation is so "grim" chairwoman Janet Copeland has written two letters to Netball New Zealand and drafted a third begging for financial assistance.

If there was a team Otago did not want to play in a preliminary final it would be Auckland.

Netball Otago recorded a small loss of $5516 for the financial year ending on October 31, 2011.

Just when you think you understand cricket the game throws up a most unlikely result.

Black Caps wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum was snapped up by his old club for a cool $US$900,000 ($NZ1.1 million) in the IPL player auction at the weekend.

Andrew Ellis took a ripper of a catch, Tom Latham put a smile on Dad's face and Dean Brownlie was unlucky but earned a pass mark.