Netball: Ferns hold strong for white-hot win

Anna Scarlett of New Zealand looks to pass under pressure from Chelsea Pitman of Australia. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand 45
Australia 42

The Silver Ferns will head to the world championships in two weeks' time feeling much happier about life after a thrilling three-goal win over Australia in tonight's second test in Auckland.

After a disappointing 52-47 loss in Palmerston North in the opening test, the Ferns responded with a more determined showing tonight, repelling a strong second-half comeback from Australia to share the series.

The match was their last hit-out before the Singapore tournament. The Ferns next week work behind closed doors in a training camp in Auckland.

While both sides played down talk of a psychological edge from these matches, tonight's win will relieve pressure after a public backlash following NZ's five-goal loss last Thursday.

Silver Ferns shooter Irene van Dyk said the improved showing had provided her side with a confidence boost.

"I think we adapted quicker to their changes ... and I do think we played with a bit more heart," said van Dyk.

"I think it was important that we played really well just to take a bit more confidence going into the world championships."

Not only did the Ferns come out on the right side of the ledger, coach Ruth Aitken also managed to get 11 players out on court to test combinations.

After copping criticism for changing her midcourt when the Ferns were up by four goals at halftime in the first test, Aitken showed nerves of steel in replacing Irene van Dyk with young Paula Griffin in the second half.

At that point the Ferns led 24-20, and you could almost hear the crowd muttering "here we go again" as the New Zealand attack slowed to a standstill at times following the introduction of Griffin, who had not played test netball since October 2009.

Griffin made an extremely tentative start, looking unwilling to shoot with the long arms of 1.96m defender Susan Fuhrmann bearing down over her.

With Griffin under huge pressure, Maria Tutaia took a lead role, producing another brilliant long-range shooting display.

There were shades of Delhi as Tutaia turned and calmly put the ball through the net from everywhere in the circle to maintain the four-goal lead heading in to the final period.

The Aussie charge was always going to come, and a couple of clever changes to the defence in the fourth quarter saw the visitors surge back to level the score with five minutes left.

With the full might of the 8,300 spectators packed in to the Vector Arena - a record netball crowd for New Zealand - willing them home, the Ferns found another gear in the final two minutes and held on for the win.

Australian coach Norma Plummer promised in the lead-up to the match to throw caution to the wind and experiment with her combinations. She surprised by starting veteran shooter Catherine Cox at goal attack and having Laura Geitz run on in the unfamiliar position of goal defence.

Young Thunderbirds star Sharni Layton made her debut for Australia at wing defence, while 1.92m shooter Caitlin Bassett got her first start against New Zealand.

All this meant the yellow dresses had a massive size advantage, with the average height of the Australian side being 1.87m - more than four centimetres taller than the Kiwis.

The Ferns initially looked unsettled by the disadvantage, particularly with the big bodies in the midcourt, and it threw off their rhythm on attack. But the New Zealanders adjusted much quicker than in their previous hit-out, turning a 10-12 quarter-time deficit into a 24-20 lead at halftime.