Netball: Silver Ferns tipped to take decider

With the benefit of familiarity and a win in their last outing, the Silver Ferns should wrap up the series against the World 7 in tonight's deciding third netball test at Mystery Creek, Hamilton.

The World 7 had a stable core of players for the first two tests in which they proved extremely competitive, but the loss of key personnel has given the Silver Ferns an edge despite the protests of both coaches.

The Silver Ferns' confidence has soared after their heart-stopping 52-51 win in the second test at Christchurch on Wednesday.

It proved a face-saver following the 23-goal thumping by Australia last month and a four-goal loss to the World 7 in the first test.

With the loss of outstanding defenders Kathryn Harby and Liz Ellis and the inspirational Sharelle McMahon to commitments in Australia, and England's Helen Lonsdale to a knee injury, the World 7 will have a new look.

"They're in an all-win situation," Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering said of the World 7.

"They haven't been under the same pressure as us. Their pressure has been whether the whole thing [world concept] worked whereas our pressure has been that we're expected to win, simple as that."

Tall South African Rosina Moaola is likely to replace McMahon at goal attack while England's Amanda Newton appears the most suitable candidate to take over the goal defence spot from Harby.

England shooter Tracey Neville joined the team last night and defender Sharon Finnan and mid-courter Shelley O'Donnell are due to arrive from Australia today. The latter pair are almost certain to play at least part of the game.

Willering said while the Australian influence had been a feature of the first two tests, that would all change tonight.

"There won't be quite the understanding they had in the first two tests, but the element of the unknown [for our players] will go in their favour.

"They had very predictable lineups in their first two outings. It's going to be very difficult to read play, so defensively we've got to react pretty quickly."

The World 7 will have a taller shooting combination, which will force the Silver Ferns to change their defensive patterns.

At the other end of the court, South African goal keep Lena Du Plooy's impressive game on Wednesday against her former team-mate Irene Van Dyk should see her make the starting line-up.

The towering Van Dyk, who has struggled at times to adapt to the New Zealand style, had a particularly impressive first half in the second test, the best of her five outings so far for the Silver Ferns.

She shrugged off the challenge of imposing Fiji goal keep Vilimaina Davu in the first half, and won a minor victory when Davu was subbed off, but had some problems getting the upper hand over Du Plooy.

The Silver Ferns have improved in little snatches each game this season and Willering is likely to stick with the winning team from the second test.

She made only one substitution in that match, bringing on Anna Rowberry at wing attack in the third quarter.

That proved a disastrous quarter for New Zealand, which was not solely Rowberry's fault. She was quickly replaced by the increasingly impressive Temepara George.

An eight-goal half-time lead was narrowed to one going into the final quarter after George's precision feeding to Van Dyk had been instrumental in a healthy lead.

George is almost certain to start, with Rowberry struggling at the moment to gel with Van Dyk.

At the other end, Linda Vagana's outstanding season continues and she should be preferred ahead of Belinda Charteris, whose tight one-on-one defence complements the more roving style of her captain, Bernice Mene.

World 7 coach Jill McIntosh feels the Silver Ferns are starting to click, with a reduced error rate being the most significant factor behind that.

"I think they're quite potent everywhere if they put their game together," she said.

"Irene shot very well the other night. Give her the ball and she's always deadly. The centre court played very well and gave her the ball properly. I don't think you can under-estimate any of them."

Davis will take over the captaincy of the World 7 from the departed Harby.

Silver Ferns: Irene Van Dyk, Adine Harper, Tania Nicholson, Anna Rowberry, Temepara George, Julie Seymour, Lesley Nicol, Anna Veronese, Belinda Charteris, Bernice Mene (captain), Linda Vagana.

World 7: Elaine Davis (captain), Alex Astle (England), Tracey Neville (England), Rosina Magola (South Africa), Shelley O'Donnell (Australia), Nadine Bryan (Jamaica), Olivia Murphy (England), Amanda Newton (England), Leana Du Plooy (South Africa), Vilimaina Davu (Fiji), Sharon Finnan (Australia).

- NZPA