Netball: Ferns fight back to stun Aussie

Casey Kopua battles for possession during the Silver Ferns' win over Australia. Photo / Getty

Australia 47
New Zealand 50

The Silver Ferns marked Casey Kopua's 100th test match in fitting fashion, pulling off a rollicking come from behind win over Australia in the third Constellation Cup test in Melbourne this afternoon.

Trailing by six at the first break, and then the same margin at halftime, it looked as though the third test was going to go much the same way as the first two matches - convincing wins to Australia.

But a host of changes to the Diamonds attack end in the second half worked to disrupt Australia's momentum, and the Ferns seized the advantage. Australian coach Lisa Alexander opted to bench sharp-shooter Caitlin Bassett - a key target in the back for the Diamonds - in the second half, as she looked to build depth in her squad.

Bassett's replacement, Caitlin Thwaites, struggled to assert herself on the proceedings, with Kopua and Katrina Grant doing a good job of disrupting the connections in the Australian attack end.

Kopua has not looked as sharp in her first few outings of the series, but in her milestone test the inspirational skipper had a huge influence on the game, throwing herself into everything.

By the end of the third quarter the Ferns had leveled the score back up at 36-all to set up a thrilling finale to the match. A three-goal run at the start of the fourth quarter effectively sealed the match for New Zealand, with the attack end doing an impressive job of keeping their composure in the tense final few minutes.

Young shooter Bailey Mes, who was named player of the match, stood up well to the pressure, frustrating Australian defender Sharni Layton with her speed and athleticism.

After three rapid fire tests over six days, there is now five-day break before the series in finale in Perth on Friday night.