SYDNEY - The Silver Ferns had a comfortable win over the Queensland Firebirds in one of their training matches before their netball test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday night.
The New Zealanders won the match 78-37, with all squad members getting court time. and coach Ruth Aitken testing different
combinations.
Importantly, all players came through the match unscathed, team management reported last night.
The Firebirds, coached by Australian legend Vicki Wilson, were missing a number of their usual lineup because of injury. They sit mid-table in the Australian national netball league.
The Silver Ferns will be attempting to maintain a winning run against Australia on Saturday in the first of two test matches staged in Australia. The second test is in Sydney on Tuesday night.
The Silver Ferns won both tests in 2005 and then beat Australia by five points to secure Commonwealth Games gold medals in Melbourne in March.
Australian co-captain Sharelle McMahon said yesterday her side would be definite underdogs heading into the series.
"They hold the number one position at the moment and I think that's rightly so, they've certainly been the best team over the last few years," McMahon told the ABC.
However, she said a revamped Australian team would be offering a sturdy challenge.
"We're certainly going in very confident and feeling as though we'll have a great game."
McMahon said Australia could not afford to concentrate their defence solely on New Zealand goalshoot Irene van Dyk.
"They don't really have a weakness anywhere on the court, they're strong all over it. So we can't focus too much on Irene because we've got to win all the positions all over court. But, we need to shut down the centre court to hopefully put them off their passes a little bit so it gives our defenders a few more opportunities for intercepts."
The New Zealand and Australian under-21 will play a test in Brisbane on Thursday night.
- NZPA
