KEY POINTS:
Australian netball coach Norma Plummer is a hard taskmaster.
Her largely inexperienced team had just beaten New Zealand 53-51 in a nailbiter at Christchurch's Westpac Arena last night, but the tough-talking Australian was keeping her eye on the main prize - getting the Commonwealth Games gold medal the
Silver Ferns beat them to in Melbourne two years ago.
As well as winning in New Delhi 2010, Plummer is focused on defending the Australians' world championship title in Singapore the following year.
So although the largely inexperienced Diamonds performed with distinction under some intense final quarter pressure, Plummer wasn't getting too carried away.
"It's a long way to 2011...in blooding these players, we've got no guarantee the final list is going to be the one you see at the moment," a quietly satisfied Plummer said after last night's win.
"We've already discussed that as a team...we have to survive, everybody's got step up, everybody's got to be able to keep performing. With the players that are there, the competition within the group will be great. It'll be interesting to see by the time we get to 2011 what list of names is still standing out of our current squad."
Plummer has lost a host of players since November's world championship, beginning with captain and defensive guru Liz Ellis and progressing through midcourter Laura von Bertouch and defender Selina Gilsenan.
Coupled with some key injuries - new captain Sharelle McMahon after knee surgery and shooter Natalie Medhurst with appendicitis - Plummer has found herself scratching for selections, especially after No 1 shooter Catherine Cox rolled an ankle barely 24 hours before the test.
As it turned out last night, rookie shooter Kate Beveridge shot 25 from 29, despite coming under extreme pressure from New Zealand goal keep Casey Williams.
Midcourter Kim Green, also making her international debut, worked exceptionally well with captain Natalie von Bertouch as Australia secured their hard-earned last quarter win.
Plummer said yesterday that Medhurst could still return to the squad if Cox isn't fit for Saturday's game in Auckland, but she was more than happy with how Beveridge and relative newcomer Sue Pratley performed.
"Our shooting was outstanding considering the likes of Casey (Williams) and Leana (de Bruin) down there. Tonight showed we were very capable of dropping it through the hoop, and that's what keeps you in front.
"What you need is that consistency - (Maria) Tutaia shot beautifully tonight and (Irene) van Dyk was as normal - she just doesn't miss. For us we have to capitalise as well - if we're not scoring down the other end, we're in big trouble every time we play the Ferns."
- NZPA
