Netball: Silverware a bonus for Ferns

The Silver Ferns shook off some patchy form in the tournament to claim the inaugural World Netball Series title. Photo / Tim Hales

The Silver Ferns have picked up some unexpected extra baggage on their first leg of the end-of-year tour - a rather hefty-looking trophy, to be exact.

The New Zealand side shook off some patchy form over the first two days of the rapid-fire tournament played under a new set of rules, accounting for Australia and Jamaica in yesterday's finals to claim the inaugural World Netball Series title.

Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken said winning the tournament was not their primary objective for the British and Caribbean tour, but she is nevertheless thrilled with her side's efforts, particularly after dropping two matches in pool-play.

"I was just really pleased to see the girls step up and I thought we were a lot more composed and played some really fantastic netball," said Aitken.

But she hopes to return home in two weeks with more than just the silverware.

She knows their success in the shorter form of the game will count for little heading in to next year's Commonwealth Games.

Instead it is the less tangible things that are of more importance for Aitken - fine-tuning combinations, developing further depth in the squad and stringing together consistently strong performances are all key objectives for the tour.

And the New Zealand coach has made it clear her side have a lot of work to do over the course of the next three tests against England and Jamaica before she declares the tour a success.

"We're hoping we are going to be able to build from this," she said.

"What seems to be our pattern at the moment is we take a step forward and then we come back together again and go a step backwards."

Having only come to grips with the new format later in the tournament, the Ferns must switch their focus back to the longer form of the game for the upcoming test matches.

New Zealand take on England in a one-off test in Bath on Friday, before jetting to the Caribbean for two matches against Jamaica.

With England meeting Australia first up tomorrow, they will likely be a step ahead of the Ferns when it comes to getting their heads back in the longer form of the game.

But Aitken is thankful her side has a couple of days to recover from an intense three days of netball.

"The cumulative fatigue of the long travel and tournament play is starting to take its toll," she said.

"They find it very hard to travel - first comfort-wise, but also jetlag-wise they seem to get affected worse."

The English, who have beaten the Ferns twice in their last four meetings, continue to loom as a threat to Australia and New Zealand's dominance at the top of the international rankings.

In Geva Mentor and Sonia Mkoloma, England have one of the most vaunted defensive lines in world netball.

But having now found a reliable shooting combination with Jo Harten and Pamela Cookey, the English have become an even more dangerous proposition.

Likewise the Ferns can expect a tough time against an ever-improving Jamaican side on the way home.

Aitken said the Jamaicans have forced the netball world to sit up and take notice of them after their impressive showing in Manchester.

"They had a really strong tournament and they were extremely tough in that final. It wasn't over until the final whistle blew, that's for sure," Aitken said.

"I thought it was their discipline that was the most improved. Obviously they're incredibly athletic, but will often give away stuff with loose passes and things.

"But they're starting to feed Romelda really well, and she's still a giant, she's just so hard to defend against."

* The schedule

October 16, v England, Bath (7am).

October 21, v Jamaica, Kingston (12.30pm).

October 23, v Jamaica, Kingston (12.30pm).