PERTH - New Zealand found the hunger and tenacity they lacked in Sydney to beat Australia in the second test in the three-match series in Perth, captain Lesley Nicol said yesterday.
Nicol had said after the 54-49 loss in Sydney that the players were "almost too nice" and lacked a "bit of mongrel" and guts.
That had Australian coach Norma Plummer and the media fearful the Silver Ferns would turn the Perth clash into a rougher affair than the rugged Sydney encounter.
But Nicol has been at pains since to explain that by "mongrel" she meant hunger and desire on the court. Yesterday her players delivered on her message.
"It really showed through," she said.
"Instead of just one or two having that hunger and tenacity, everyone had it and it gave us collective energy."
Nicol, captaining the side in the absence of injured Anna Rowberry, said the players had worked hard since Saturday on rectifying the mistakes.
"We had a good look at the video of that game and really focused on tidying up the errors. We gave away a lot of ball in Sydney."
The defensive unit tightened up, with the inexperienced pair of Joline Henry and Anna Scarlett starting the test, and the older professionals in Vilimaina Davu and Sheryl Scanlan finishing it.
All made solid contributions to the victory, Nicol said.
It showed in the shooting statistics, with Australian goalshoot Catherine Cox, who was the dominant figure in Sydney, missing 10 goals from 31 attempts.
But it was in the midcourt where the verve returned for the Kiwis, with Temepara Clark and Adine Wilson re-establishing the speed and combination which tormented Australia in the 3-0 New Zealand home series win in June and July.
This gave shooters Irene van Dyk and Jodi Te Huna a better platform to show their skills and both had superb matches as a result, with van Dyk shooting 38 goals from 45 attempts and Te Huna adding 12, and also outmanoeuvring the inexperienced Australian defensive combination of Bianca Chatfield and Alison Broadbent.
Nicol, the first New Zealand captain to be dropped only to return and regain the role, took pleasure in beating the toughest of foes.
"It's even more satisfying that we did it in such a quick turnaround from Saturday."
But she said the job was not over, with the final test in Melbourne on Saturday now looming large in the players' minds.
"It was a do-or-die effort here and it's going to be the same on Saturday night.
"It will be a matter of staying sharp, and keeping that intensity, as well as being wiser."
- NZPA
Result:
New Zealand 50
Australia 42
Netball: Fired-up Ferns regain mongrel
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