Netball: Ferns counting on strength in midcourt

Adine Wilson

Silver Ferns captain Adine Wilson believes their midcourt experience will be an advantage as they look to shut down Australia in tonight's first test in Wellington.

Australian coach Norma Plummer took a swipe at the New Zealand midcourt yesterday, saying Julie Seymour was called in because they were worried about the speed of the Australian sisters Laura and Natalie von Bertouch and Selina Gilsenan.

"I think they're very anxious to make sure they've got speed on speed, so that's pretty good for us that we know they are worried about it."

Not so, said Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken. "The Silver Ferns are never scared. We are always aware of the strengths of the opposition but it is more about the options that are available to us. We felt with the blend we had that Julie was a natural fit."

While there is no doubt the Australians' speed through court contributed to their success in the last test - their midcourt combination is a lot less experienced than New Zealand's.

The von Bertouch sisters and Gilsenan have a combined total of 32 caps compared with the 127 of Wilson, Temepara George and Laura Langman.

"We have all got faith we have got the ability to dominate," Wilson said. "We know that they have been playing a strong combination but we know that we are a strong combination and with the introduction of Julie Seymour now, whoever goes on court can pull it off against Australia."

The two sides were at Parliament for a function yesterday. With a New Zealand and Australian league test clashing with the second netball test on Saturday night, New Zealand Rugby League patron Prime Minister Helen Clark said she was going to the netball.

For the Silver Ferns, the most damaging thing from that second test loss was the confidence it has given the Australians, who now believe that even if Irene van Dyk had started the match and George not been injured, they would still have won.

Tonight, slowing their opponents down on attack will be crucial for the Silver Ferns, while at the other end of the court the performance of young goal attack Maria Tutaia will be crucial.

If Tutaia is shooting accurately and the defence manage to stifle the Aussies, the scoreline should go in New Zealand's favour.

If Tutaia is off the boil and Tania Dalton has to come on, things will become trickier for the Kiwis.

While Dalton has her doubters, Australian captain Liz Ellis said she finds her difficult to mark.

"She doesn't just stand there and hold, she holds, she moves and she shoots well. I think their shooting line is a pretty good one."

Ellis said the key for her side tonight would be having confidence in their game plan and sticking with it.

"We are under no illusions, we don't think New Zealand performed anywhere near their best in that second match and are not going to get sucked in to thinking they'll perform like that again."

In that second test, Plummer said her team won on a 69 per cent shooting average but had 18 more attempts at goal than the Kiwis. New Zealand ended the match with a slightly better 73 per cent.

Of tonight's match, she said: "I think they'll be targeting to shut down the von Bertouchs, so we are prepared for that."

NZ v AUSTRALIA

* First test: Wellington, 8.45 tonight.

* Second test: Auckland, 7.45pm Saturday.

* Third test: Christchurch, 7.45pm Monday.