Silver Ferns: Kelly Jury expects backlash from Caitlin Bassett in Constellation Cup opener

Rookie defender Kelly Jury is hoping to back up a strong maiden outing against Australia last month with a commanding performance in tonight's Constellation Cup opener. Photo/PHOTOSPORT

She's been talked up as the Silver Ferns' silver bullet for long-time tormentor Caitlin Bassett, but rookie defender Kelly Jury says she won't be fooled into thinking she has the Australian sharpshooter all figured out.

Jury had a dream maiden outing against the Diamonds in last month's Quad Series match-up in Invercargill, being named player of the match in the Ferns' shock 57-47 win over the world champions.

The towering defender caused chaos for the typically slick Australian attack, cutting off the ball supply into the Diamonds key strike weapon. Jury restricted Bassett, who averages over 40 goals a game against New Zealand, to just 22/24 before the Diamonds skipper was pulled from the court late in the third quarter.

Jury is now bracing herself for the backlash from Bassett in tomorrow night's Constellation Cup opener in Auckland.

"I'm probably not her favourite person in the world right now," Jury laughed.

"We expect them all to come out firing and wanting revenge, they're going to be really hungry for redemption."

In lead-up to tomorrow night's test the Silver Ferns coaching staff have been at pains to keep last month's win over Australia in perspective, drilling into the New Zealand side the need for continual improvement.

That message appears to have been taken on board by Jury. She said she can't expect to do the same things against Bassett tonight and get the same result.

"It's all about backing it up. I was pleased with my game against them last time, it was my very first game against Australia and my very first full game, so I took a lot of confidence from that I could compete for a whole 60 minutes against the world number one team and arguably the world number one shooter. So going into this next test I just have to step up again."

The Diamonds attacking end will have a different dynamic about it this series, after coach Lisa Alexander made a couple of key changes - some planned, others forced due to poor form - to her line-up.

Alexander has rotated her goal attacks, swapping out Gretel Tippett and Tegan Philip for Susan Pettitt and Steph Wood, who the Australian coach rates as her top two options.

Wood has formed a slick combination with Bassett in the Australian domestic league, with the two shooters pairing up for the championship-winning Sunshine Coast Lightning this year.

Jury said the play-making abilities of Wood and Pettitt are tough to combat.

"They have brought in two shorter, faster, nippier goal attacks. The only way to counteract that is to work together as a defensive unit and making sure we're slowing that ball down, because when they get that speed going it's really tough to stop," she said.