Netball: English pick up the pieces after second test hiding

While Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken is looking to eliminate the little lulls in her side's performance, England coach Marg Caldow has a rather hefty workload ahead of the final test in Invercargill tomorrow night.

The Silver Ferns wrapped up the three-test series on Wednesday, blitzing their opponents 74-30.

The England side, who are ranked fourth in the world, had shown some promise in the first test despite being well beaten by the Ferns. But in the second test, the wheels well and truly fell off.

In a performance that was riddled with errors, the English appeared virtually statue-like as the Silver Ferns whisked the ball through court without a worry in the world.

England's towering defenders Sonia Mkoloma and Geva Mentor were nowhere near as effective as they were in the opening test while the English attack seemed to run out of ideas as to how to get the ball past New Zealand's relentless defence.

Admittedly the English suffered without star centre and captain Olivia Murphy, who sat the match out after the foot she had operated on late last year flared up.

"Olivia is a very experienced and steadying player for our young attack end," Caldow said.

"So Olivia not there is such a big loss ... but again it is exposing some of our young players. What you lose you gain in putting some youngsters out there."

England may find themselves without midcourter Clare Elsley tomorrow night after she injured her ankle in the second test.

So far the series has reinforced how much of a gap there is between New Zealand, Australia, maybe even Jamaica and the rest of the world.

England's eight-week Southern Hemisphere tour, which incorporated a test against Australia which they lost 61-21 and the three test series against New Zealand, aims to try to alleviate that.

Following the final test in Invercargill, England head back to Australia for a series of matches against Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams. They will also compete in a tournament which will include some Commonwealth Bank teams and the Southern Sting and Force teams from New Zealand.

They then head home to prepare for series against Jamaica and South Africa.

"The series [against New Zealand] now is about giving a few players an opportunity," Caldow said.

"Our main thrust at the present is building towards Jamaica at the end of June and South Africa in November. While we don't want New Zealand to put 70 goals on the board again you do have to keep it realistic in that we are playing the world number one side."