Netball: Ferns ring up the changes in romp

KINGSTON - Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken produced something of a record when she made 17 changes from the original starting seven players during their 80-41 romp in the Jamaica tour opener yesterday.

Aitken has promised a similar pattern for this afternoon's second and probably stiffer warm-up match against the Jamaica under-23 team before tomorrow's first test.

The Silver Ferns completed an all-out assault on the President's 12 team yesterday, in the process getting a taste of the style and attitude that will be dished up in larger doses from the senior Jamaican team.

The steady procession from the bench - all 12 available players got at least two quarters of court time - did not hinder the Ferns' intention to contest the game at pace, and players were quick to adapt to the changes.

In the end, the New Zealanders' speed, fitness, height and execution ground the President's team into submission.

The quarter scores were 23-12, 41-17 and 57-33.

"Our aim has been that we will look at this tour to get our bench mobile - on and off - and certainly the opportunity was here today and it seemed silly not to use it," Aitken said.

"I thought it was great. Some of the changes turned the game completely because of the different individual styles."

All the players had their moments, and the new in-circle defence of Lorna Suafoa, Sheryl Clarke and Anna Veronese improved as the match progressed.

The fourth defensive candidate, Belinda Charteris, sat the game out with a slightly strained Achilles tendon but was expected to be fit for today's clash.

Another to miss out yesterday was Jenny-May Coffin, who is recovering from an upper respiratory tract infection and head cold.

All four shooters returned promising percentages.

Irene van Dyk scored 30 goals from 33 attempts, Donna Loffhagen 19 from 23, Angela Evans 17 from 21 and Belinda Colling nailed 14 from 16.

Loffhagen had spells at goal shoot and goal attack, as did Evans, who was making her debut, and Colling played at goal attack and wing attack, where she made a strong impression.

It was similar for the midcourt, where captain Julie Seymour, Temepara George, Victoria Edward, Adine Harper and Lesley Nicol all came and went from a variety of positions.

Aitken was happy with most of what she saw.

"We've got to be a little bit more composed when we gain possession through an intercept and those sort of things.

"There was some lovely work that we fretted away, but the first game is always a bit of a blood-rush.

"I thought the adjustment on-court was really good," she said.

"It's just doing the simple things well that we need to concentrate on."

Aitken was pleased with the defence, which is without Bernice Mene, Linda Vagana and Vilimaina Davu for this tour.

- NZPA