KEY POINTS:
The pent-up frustrations of the Silver Fern defenders are ready to be let loose on an unsuspecting South African side in tonight's world championship quarter-final clash.
Powerless to play their open, hunting game against the stifling short-pass style of Malawi and Botswana in pool play this week, the world champion defenders are "ready to pounce", captain Adine Wilson said.
"It's been hard playing those African nations when we're so used to a free-flowing game with more opportunities to hunt out an intercept or come around for the ball. Our defence feel like they've been held back," Wilson said yesterday.
Although going for the intercept against the world's top netball nations could be classed as a risk, Wilson said it is part of the Silver Ferns game plan to create a snowball effect on defence.
"If Casey Williams goes for the intercept at goal keep and doesn't get it, Sheryl Scanlan will come along the baseline and pick it up for her," Wilson said. "You're putting pressure and stress on their next pass so there's a better opportunity to pick up the ball. It starts from the attacking end, right back at Irene [van Dyk]. She's a tree - so we use her long arms to get in the way."
The Silver Ferns' attack has been in strong form so far - remarkably, in every game the shooting combinations (using all four shooters) have achieved 89 per cent accuracy.
Wilson said the side had taken "a lot of heart" from their success with scoring off most of their centre passes, and converting turnovers into points at the other end.
"That was something we knew we had to improve on, and it's been a big step up for us at this tournament. We're perfecting those links between defence and attack, bringing it up through court and scoring," she said.
In their debrief following Tuesday night's lacklustre win over Botswana, the team questioned why they had been "flat and frustrated".
"But all in all, we're where we want to be right now," Wilson said.
The Ferns were given the afternoon off yesterday after watching videos of the South Africans' performance at these championships - two wins from three games.
Wilson said she was impressed with the improvement the Proteas have made since their record loss to New Zealand in July last year, 94-25.
"Against England, they were defensively attacking balls, tipping balls, and in attack, they were running some really nice lines. Bronwyn Bock-Jonathon [captain and wing defence] has had a huge influence on them since she came back from injury," Wilson said. "We will have to make sure we are on our game."
* Pretenders to the Silver Ferns' throne, England, will be looking for more consistency under pressure when they play Malawi in the first quarter-final today.
The English were not thoroughly convinced with their performance in their first tough match of the tournament against South Africa on Tuesday, allowing the Proteas back into the game in the second spell before winning by 30.
English captain Amanda Newton said the team concentrated on how to adapt to pressure in their training session yesterday.
"We could have done that better [against South Africa] and we know we're going to have to be tougher than that against the top teams now," she said. "But it was good to have a tough match. New Zealand are the only team who haven't had a testing game in their pool play."
THE 89ERS
Silver Ferns shooters scored 89 per cent of their shots at goal each pool match
v Malawi: 85 from 96 = 89 per cent
v Wales: 86 from 97 = 89 per cent
v Botswana: 76 from 85 = 89 per cent
YESTERDAY
Barbados 43 Botswana 44
Trinidad 42 Singapore 32
Fiji 58 Scotland 37
Wales 69 Malaysia 32
TODAY'S ACTION
Top-eight quarter-finals
2.10pm: England v Malawi
4.10pm: Australia v Cook Is
6.10pm: Jamaica v Samoa
8.10pm: NZ v Sth Africa
Bottom eight semifinals
12.10pm: Botswana v Trinidad and Tobago
12.10pm: Barbados v Singapore
2.10pm: Scotland v Malaysia
4.10pm: Fiji v Wales
