By JULIE ASH in Christchurch
Whether it be a blackout, double overtime or a van load of players gone missing, the Silver Ferns are ready for anything thrown at them in this crucial netball year.
They have been in camp in Christchurch for the past week preparing for the three-test series against
England and then for the world championships in Jamaica next month.
During the week, coach Ruth Aitken has thrown a few "what if" scenarios at her team to see how they cope.
"In one scenario they turned the lights in the stadium off just before the first centre pass," said Silver Fern captain Anna Rowberry.
"It was completely dark. We were all giggling and expecting them to come straight back on again.
"But they didn't so we all ran into the changing room, waited for the lights to come back on then went out there and did a few drills and started again. We all coped with it fine."
In a second test, a van of senior players and management arrived minutes before the match started.
"Ruth said to the other players, 'I just want the senior players to come with us because we need to have a quick meeting'.
"Then on our way there she said, 'The other thing is we won't be arriving until seven minutes before the game starts'.
"So it was basically to see how the others would cope with us not being there, which is something that could happen on the way to a game - a van might get lost or stuck in traffic."
Yesterday Aitken gave her team the ultimate of scenarios, which no doubt brought back a few bad memories for some of the squad.
After time was up in the match, Aitken surprised her team by announcing the score was tied and the match was going into overtime.
Then, after seven minutes of overtime, Aitken declared a second lot of overtime was needed.
That is what happened at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester last year, when New Zealand lost to Australia in double overtime.
An exhausted Rowberry said such planning was needed if the Silver Ferns were to achieve their goal of becoming world champions.
"We can cope with anything now, we reckon."
