Julie Ash: Ferns were vulnerable and it showed

Having to endure six fillings at the dentist would have been less painful than watching the Silver Ferns' performance against Australia in the second test.

After their convincing first test win, this was New Zealand's chance to bury Australia.

Instead they produced an appalling performance reminiscent of those in the 1990s where they were continually outclassed by far slicker Australian teams.

So how could a team go from a 12-goal win to a 10-goal loss in three days?

Quite easily, it seems.

Much of it boiled down to selection choices. The new-look starting lineup failed. The shooting combination of Maria Tutaia and Belinda Colling struggled and Casey Williams, who generally plays at goal keep, was completely bewildered at goal defence.

Add the loss of the team's live wire Temepara George, who struggled off with a ripped stomach muscle, and the first 15 minutes set the tone of the match.

Australia, who would have been insulted that New Zealand felt they could leave the world's best goal shoot, Irene van Dyk, on the bench, sensed vulnerability and took advantage.

Although Laura Langman did a commendable job at centre, the loss of George was perhaps the main contributing factor in the Ferns' defeat. The loss took the team by surprise, which is hard to understand since they pride themselves on expecting the unexpected.

When George went off, the team's flow went with her. Although she returned in the second half, she was clearly below her best. If anyone was unaware how valuable George is, this match proved it. She should be wrapped in cottonwool and forbidden to leave her house until the world championships next July.

Coach Ruth Aitken was perhaps a little too bold in starting with different lineups at both ends, but her reasons are obvious. She did it in the first test with Tutaia and Leana de Bruin and it worked a treat.

Aside from Australia and maybe Jamaica, who else can she truly test her players against? A year away from the world championships, it was in her best interests to trial combinations. Starting with a new lineup allowed her to return to her strongest team at the first break if she needed to.

But her strongest lineup let her down. Van Dyk took too long to settle, and defensively New Zealand failed to stem Australia's short, sharp passes, allowing them 17 more attempts at goal.

What stood out most was how flat the Silver Ferns were. It could be the result of a long, intense season which started late last year with the buildup to the Commonwealth Games.

Australia had a little advantage in that they had a slightly different team to the one that went to the Games.

But there are no excuses for such a performance, especially as it was the New Zealand team who were telling us that "Australia will come back'. On court it appeared they didn't believe their own talk.

There is no doubting the Australian team were good. The von Bertouch sisters combined well in the midcourt. Mo'onia Gerrard proved she could be their answer at goal defence and Susan Prately at goal attack.

In the first test Australia were slow and laborious through court. New Zealand forced them into high passes which they were then able to intercept.

In the second test Australia returned to short sharp passes for which the New Zealand defence had no answer, and as a result allowed the explosive Sharelle McMahon to run rings around her opponent.

Australia showed what they can do when New Zealand are not playing at their best. To say it was painful is an understatement.