Netball: Unconvincing win has coach wary of an upset

By JENNI RUTHERFORD in MANCHESTER

A cautious Silver Ferns coach, Ruth Aitken, is taking nothing for granted ahead of the first test against England tomorrow morning.

Conscious that her charges are still sporting suntans while the world No 3 team are in the middle of their season, Aitken is taking the cautious option against a side her players defeated 67-35 just seven months ago at the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

In 54 outings against England, New Zealand have lost just once - 27 years ago - and Aitken does not want to give the English another chance to celebrate.

"I think it is important that we establish ourselves well," Aitken said. "It will be a team that will be able to go out and perform well because it is the start of our test series. Conservative is probably the right description."

Aitken has some cause for concern following an unconvincing 73-34 win over the England Development side yesterday.

Though she was testing unfamiliar combinations in a competition situation, the Silver Ferns lacked the cohesion that impressed in the 155-17 warm-up match over six 15-minute periods against the Welsh Institute of Sport academy squad last week.

The English performed credibly, considering the side had just played a European Cup match in Scotland and had flown in by charter plane to Manchester a couple hours before.

The training game was originally scheduled for six 15-minute periods but was reduced to the regulation four because the development squad were flying back to Glasgow to continue the tournament immediately after the match.

Meanwhile, court time in the first test will mean a 90th international appearance for Silver Fern wing defence Lesley Nicol, but major decisions are looming.

Nicol is starting a new career as a doctor and has tentatively scheduled her wedding for next summer.

She is thinking of joining the so-called brain drain in the near future to rid herself of a hefty student loan after six years of study.

"I'll stay in Invercargill until at least November to complete my registration and then it will depend on what my partner's doing, but I will have to go overseas to pay off my loan," said Nicol, who turns 30 in May.

"Eventually I will have to go. I would pay it off quicker if I worked in Australia or the UK.

"I'd be quite happy to stay at home but this is the only way I can see how I can pay it off."

Nicol is unsure how her travel plans will affect her netball career.

As for her netball career, Nicol has not given too much thought to how any overseas plans will affect her playing availability.

"I'll take it as it comes. I'm just focusing on the world champs. I definitely can't be sick of it - I'm stopping working so I can train for netball," Nicol said.

England have gone to work on problem areas following their disappointing fourth placing at the Commonwealth Games and have recruited 18-year-old mid-courter Jade Clarke and defender Janet Coulbourne.

"We've been working on some individual things, and obviously we are looking at stepping up our preparation for the world champs," said England performance director Waimarama Taumaunu.

The former Silver Ferns captain, who is returning to New Zealand in September after a five-year stint with English netball, said a main problem area was transporting the ball through the court to the shooters.

- NZPA