Netball: Ferns prepare to dust off plan B

By JULIE ASH

Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken says her side are ready to execute plan B should Australia succeed in shutting down shooting ace Irene van Dyk.

While Victoria Edward and Joline Henry are the only newcomers to the world-champion Silver Ferns side for the three-test series starting on Wednesday night in Christchurch, Australia have undergone a series of changes.

Towering defenders Demelza Fellowes and Bianca Chatfield have been brought in to try to combat van Dyk.

Standing at 1.90m, van Dyk has always had a handy height advantage over the Australians.

However, should Fellowes (1.88m) or Chatfield (1.89m) take the court, that advantage would be nullified.

"I think the writing was on the wall they were going to go for some height," Aitken said.

"I think that they will be really wanting to target the long ball into Irene."

Which for the Silver Ferns means they will have to be more innovative.

"We will need to explore our plan B even more.

"We have always had a very strong plan B but we didn't need to execute it in the final so much," Aitken said.

"But having that ability to play short, to play flat when we need to or to use the long ball to really mix it up is the key to any game, really.

"I think you have always got to be mindful of them shutting down your main play line.

"We are quite comfortable with thinking that we have to have greater depth to our game and not be one dimensional."

Also new to the Australian team are midcourters Susan Meaney and Jessica Shynn who fill the shoes left by Nicole Richardson and Rebecca Sanders who, with Kathryn Harby-Williams, retired after the last world championships.

"I think although they have had a number of changes, they have got a great depth in Australian netball, which we have always known. I am expecting the new ones to slot in very easily," Aitken said.

While sharpshooter Sharelle McMahon and veteran defender Liz Ellis will spearhead the Australian side, the midcourt could be an area where the explosive Silver Ferns may have an edge.

With a number of options open to her, Aitken could stick with the Anna Rowberry/Temepara Clark/Lesley Nicol combination which was successful in the world championships or bring Adine Harper, who was named the best player of the National Bank Cup season, or even Edward into the mix.

"I certainly think we have got depth in this team and I would be looking at playing more than seven throughout this series," Aitken said.

"The value of our midcourt is that they all have quite different styles so we'll be looking at the style of play we want against Australia and it may be different from the first test to the second test ... that is all part of the planning."

While Australia will be out to make amends for last year's world championship loss, the Silver Ferns are chasing their first series win against Australia since 1989.

"It is a new team and a new year," Aitken said.

"We have to make sure that we don't think we are going to ride on the coat-tails of last year's performance. It has to be re-established.

"But the players are really excited ... it was interesting through the National Bank Cup where there was no love lost but they are really good mates off the court ... that sort of competitiveness is fantastic."

OLD RIVALS MATCH UP

NEW ZEALAND

Irene van Dyk, Belinda Colling, Jodie Te Huna, Anna Rowberry (captain), Temepara Clark, Adine Harper, Lesley Nicol, Vilimaina Davu, Anna Scarlett, Victoria Edward, Joline Henry, Sheryl Scanlan (nee Clarke).

AUSTRALIA

Liz Ellis (c), Sharelle McMahon, Alison Broadbent, Bianca Chatfield, Natasha Chokljat, Kirsten Heinrich, Demelza Fellowes, Janine Ilitch, Susan Meaney, Cynna Neele, Peta Scholz and Jessica Shynn.

LAST 10 ENCOUNTERS

2003: World Championships, NZ 49-47.

2002: Commonwealth Games, Aus 57-55.

2001: Fisher and Paykel series, Aus 51-47, NZ 58-47, Aus 50-46.

2001: Tri Nations, NZ 55-40, Aus 62-52.

2000: Fisher and Paykel Cup, Aus 53-30.

1999: World Championships, Aus 42-41.

1999: Fisher and Paykel Cup, NZ 60-48.

TESTING TIMES

First test, Wednesday night, Christchurch

Second test, Friday night, Palmerston North

Third test, July 5, Hamilton.

All matches live on TV ONE from 7.30pm.