Netball: It's all about keeping the flow, says Aitken

By JULIE ASH at the World Champs

Keeping the flow on attack is what Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken is looking for when New Zealand lineup against England today in what is expected to be their hardest hitout before the semifinals.

The Silver Ferns rocketed to their third consecutive win in the world championships yesterday, trouncing the Cook Islands 107-17.

The Silver Ferns led at every quarter 28-4, 60-6, 87-12 before winning by 107-17, which is the biggest score of the tournament to date.

Throughout the match it looked like New Zealand were going to break their own world record for the highest score, which they set at the 1995 world championships when demolishing the Cayman Islands 114-15.

A similar score is not predicted today when New Zealand line up against the English team, who are coached by former Silver Ferns Lyn Gunson and Waimarama Taumaunu.

New Zealand beat England in a three-test series in New Zealand last month, but in the final test in Auckland produced an indifferent performance in which they just scraped away with a seven-goal win.

"In the world championships environment things are quite different," said Aitken yesterday.

"I am expecting that they will throw everything at us and that we'll have to absorb their defensive pressure and make sure that we keep the flow on attack."

Yesterday, Aitken started with her top lineup - something she is likely to do again today.

With their final pool match tomorrow against Fiji and then just a quarter-final match against the fourth-placed team in pool A - New Zealand have little time left before the semifinals, where they are expected to meet the powerful Jamaicans.

"We did want that first lineup to have another start," Aitken said. "We did use it in the match against Barbados at one point of time but it wasn't at the start and it is always great to get it out on court. But I was pleased with how Tania Dalton and Adine Harper slotted in (in the second quarter) so easily.

"Start well and march on forward was the aim."

At the first-quarter break, Harper came into wing attack, replacing captain Anna Rowberry, who had a slight calf strain, and Tania Dalton went into goal attack.

Restricting the Cook Islands to just two goals in the second quarter, Aitken brought Anna Scarlett on at wing defence at the three-quarter break before moving her to goal defence for the last quarter. Jodi Te Huna was brought on as goal shoot in the last quarter.

Aitken believes the continual rotation of players is vital.

"We just felt that we only get so many games here and it is really important that we keep the number of lineups available to us for the tougher games."

As for the Australians, they withstood a buffeting and some blatant offending from Trinidad & Tobago to post their third lopsided win in as many matches, winning 80-28. But they were left nursing some bruises from the physical Caribbean side, which was frequently penalised for over-zealous play.

Trinidad & Tobago goal defence Rhonda John was stood off the court for two goals after being warned for persistent contact and obstruction. Goal attack Eloise Southby copped the full brunt of John's fouls and was forced from the court in the final quarter after being accidentally poked in the eye.

Australia and Jamaica remain the only unbeaten teams in group A, the hosts delivering an 84-24 pasting of Samoa.

Straight shooters

* Irene van Dyk scored 58 from 62 attempts in her three quarters on court for 93.5 per cent, making her the leading goal scorer in the tournament.

* Tania Dalton's 32 from 35 attempts gave her a 91.4 per cent success rate.

* Goal attack Belinda Colling landed seven from eight for 87.5 per cent.

* TV details: NZ v England, live on TVOne, noon today, replay 5pm.