Netball: Diamonds looking for an edge but import has other plans

By JULIE ASH

Diamonds defender Kathryn Harby-Williams believes her former team-mate, Natalie Avellino, will have no problems slotting into the Sting's shooting lineup if required.

The Southern Sting side suffered a huge blow last weekend when their main goal shooter, Tania Dalton, snapped the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, ruling her out for six months.

Avellino has played mostly at wing attack for the Sting so far, but Harby-Williams said she was a more than capable goal shoot or goal attack.

"I have a great deal of respect for her," said Harby-Williams, whose Diamonds side take on the Sting in Invercargill tomorrow.

"She is a very creative player and brings other players into the game. She is very court-smart, naturally skilled and reads the game very well."

Harby-Williams played alongside Avellino in the Adelaide Thunderbirds in last year's Australian Commonwealth Bank trophy.

But Avellino ended up playing only a few games for the club after she got caught in a residency wrangle with Netball Australia.

Netball Australia argued that Avellino was ineligible to play for the Thunderbirds because she did not meet their criteria, which stated players must live within the region they play.

Avellino took it to court and won but by then, the season was more or less finished.

"I have played against her a lot because she played for the Sydney Sandpipers for a long time," Harby-Williams said.

"So we know each other's style of play."

The Diamonds picked up their first win of the competition last weekend, beating the Western Flyers comfortably despite a slow start.

"We came good in the second half and obviously that has given everyone a great deal of confidence and is something that we will need going into the game against the Sting," Harby-Williams said.

The Auckland side were hoping to have Anna Rowberry back for the match but the Silver Ferns captain has not quite recovered from her broken arm and has been ruled out for a further week.

And as for that rowdy Invercargill crowd - Harby-Williams said she had been warned.

"I have been told a lot and read a lot but I have also played there for Australia so I have got some sort of understanding of what it is going to be like," she said. "I am looking forward to it."

In other matches this weekend, the Canterbury Flames face the Capital Shakers tonight in Christchurch, the Otago Rebels play the Western Flyers in Dunedin tomorrow and on Sunday, the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic line up against North Harbour's Force at Mystery Creek.

National Bank Cup squads and draw