Editing Netball (section)

==Description and rules==
{{Main|Rules of netball}}
[[File:Netball field diagram -en.svg|alt=Diagram of netball court. The court is divided into thirds. Dimensions and positions are listed on the diagram.|thumb|A netball court's dimensions. The court is divided into thirds and shooting circles are at each end.]]
The objective of a game is to score more goals than the opposition. Goals are scored when a team member positioned in the attacking "shooting circle" shoots the ball through the goal ring. The goal rings are {{convert|380|mm}} in diameter and sit atop {{convert|3.05|m|adj=on}}-high goal posts that have no backboards.<ref name=NA-court/> The {{convert|4.9|m|adj=on}}-radius semi-circular shooting circles are located at each end of the court, and contain the goal posts. Each team defends one shooting circle and attacks the other.<ref name=NA-court>{{cite web |author=Netball Australia |title=Court & venue specifications |publisher=[[Netball Australia]] |url=http://www.netball.asn.au/extra.asp?id=29&OrgID=1&menu=10706 |access-date=2 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227072539/http://netball.asn.au//extra.asp?id=29&OrgID=1&menu=10706 |archive-date=27 February 2011}}</ref> The netball court is {{convert|30.5|m}} long, {{convert|15.25|m}} wide, and divided lengthwise into thirds. The ball is usually made of leather or rubber, measures {{convert|680|to|710|mm}} in circumference (≈{{convert|22|cm}} in diameter), and weighs {{convert|397|to|454|g}}.<ref name=Netball-book>{{harvnb|Murrary|2008|p=186}}</ref><ref name=Davis-6>{{harvnb|Davis|Davis|2006|p=6}}</ref> A normal game consists of four 15-minute quarters<ref name=Netball-book/><ref name=Davis-5>{{harvnb|Davis|Davis|2006|p=5}}</ref> and can be played outdoors or in a covered stadium.

Each team is allowed seven players on the court.<ref name=International-Netball>{{cite web |author=International Netball |url=http://www.internationalnetball.com/netball_rules.html |title=netball rules |date=September 2006 |publisher=International Netball |access-date=28 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227083652/http://www.internationalnetball.com/netball_rules.html |archive-date=27 February 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Each player is assigned a specific position, which limits their movement to a certain area of the court. A "bib" worn by each player contains a one- or two-letter abbreviation indicating this position.<ref name=Davis-7>{{harvnb|Davis|Davis|2006|p=7}}</ref> Only two positions are permitted in the attacking shooting circle, and can therefore shoot for a goal. Similarly, only two positions are permitted in the defensive shooting circle to prevent the opposition from shooting goals. Other players are restricted to two-thirds of the court, with the exception of the centre, who may move anywhere on the court except for a shooting circle.<ref name=Hickey-34>{{harvnb|Hickey|Navin|2007|p=34}}</ref>

[[File:Australia v England Netball in Canberra 002.ogv|thumb|left|Australia v England 12 October 2011 [[Test match (netball)|test match]] held in Canberra]]
At the beginning of every quarter and after a goal has been scored, play starts with a player in the centre position passing the ball from the centre of the court. These "centre passes" alternate between the teams, regardless of which team scored the last goal. When the umpire blows the whistle to restart play, four players from each team can move into the centre third to receive the pass. The centre pass must be caught or touched in the centre third.<ref name=Shakespear-xiii>{{harvnb|Shakespear|Caldow|2009|p=xiii}}</ref><ref name=Slade-2009>{{harvnb|Slade|2009|p=98}}</ref>

The ball is then moved up and down the court through passing and must be touched by a player in each adjacent third of the court. Players can hold the ball for only three seconds at any time. It must be released before the foot they were standing on when they caught it touches the ground again.<ref name=Netball-book />

Contact between players is only permitted if it does not impede an opponent or the general play. When defending a pass or shot players must be at least {{convert|90|cm}} away from the player with the ball. If illegal contact is made, the player who contacted cannot participate in play until the player taking the penalty has passed or shot the ball.<ref name=Hickey-31>{{harvnb|Hickey|Navin|2007|p=31}}</ref> If the ball is held in two hands and either dropped or a shot at goal is missed, the same player cannot be the first to touch it unless it first rebounds off the goal.<ref name=Shakespear-15>{{harvnb|Shakespear|Caldow|2009|pp=15–19}}</ref>