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She's a renowned match winner, but Australian shooter Sharelle McMahon was surprisingly pragmatic when coach Norma Plummer benched her halfway through the world championship final with the Silver Ferns.
Her shooting had been unusually hesitant and off-centre, scoring only five from eight attempts under pressure from her old Ferns nemesis Sheryl Scanlan.
So when Plummer pulled her off court, replacing her at goal attack with Susan Pratley, the 97-test veteran didn't take offence.
"The beauty of this team has been the strength of our 12. I was confident we could do it with whatever combination was out there," vice-captain McMahon said.
With less than seven minutes on the clock, and the Ferns closing in, Plummer turned to McMahon again, this time at goal shoot. She helped hold off another late surge from the Ferns, and was on court for the final whistle, affirming her as a world champion for the second time in her career.
"Winning this one was special because we've regained our world No 1 spot and we keep it for the next four years. I absolutely hated not having it for the last four," said McMahon.
There were drawbacks for McMahon's return to the court. The goal-shoot position she played in for those few minutes was selected for random drug testing, and McMahon had to fulfil the request, making her late to the team celebrations. The team flew to Melbourne last night expecting a heroes' reception at the airport - more than the two men and a dog who have greeted them in the past. They planned to watch a video of the 42-38 victory to relive the feeling of the moment, McMahon said.
McMahon, who has no intention of retiring, signed up to lead the Melbourne Vixens in the new transtasman league next year: "I feel I still have something to offer."
Her captain, Liz Ellis, has made no decision on her future, first heading off on a South American holiday.
"If I could choose tonight, I would play netball till I was 50 and have this moment forever and ever," she said immediately after Saturday night's victory.
It was Ellis' third victory from four world championships and a reward for one of the best teams she had ever been involved with.
"As soon as we lost [in 2003], we started to plan for this one, we started to look forward. And I'm sure the Silver Ferns will start tomorrow planning towards 2011."
