Australia 48 Silver Ferns 44
MELBOURNE - A frustrated Silver Ferns captain Casey Williams slammed her side's casual attitude as Australia hit back with a 48-44 win in the second netball test last night.
A sluggish first half sank the Ferns, who trailed 19-27 at the main break, before Australia cut loose in the third quarter to build a 36-20 lead and effectively seal the contest.
It was only in the final quarter, which the reshuffled Ferns won 14-6, that they regained some momentum to take to Brisbane for Sunday's third test, with the five-match series at 1-1.
Said Williams: "It just felt really casual from the start, both mentally and physically not switched on. We need to go out there and hit them hard right from the start and we weren't doing that.
"I think it's mental. Physically we're there, we know how to play. We just need to get our brains switched on and hit it hard right from the start and not be airy-fairy. I'm personally to blame for that too."
It was the fourth consecutive year the Ferns had won the first test in Australia then lost the second. Not since 1981 have they strung together back-to-back wins in a series across the Tasman.
Australian goal attack Susan Pratley was named player of the match, shooting 31 from 40 and forming an elusive combination in the circle with captain Sharelle McMahon.
Irene van Dyk was again the most accurate shooter, with 34 from 38, and while New Zealand shot 81 per cent to the hosts' 71 per cent, Australia hoisted 68 attempts to 54.
Coach Ruth Aitken took little solace from her side's fast finish before a sold-out crowd of 9600 at Hisense Arena, where the Ferns had won their previous three transtasman tests.
"The big emotion is disappointment, there's no doubt. We were 9-1 down in that third quarter which was just ugly, then at that point I really thought 'goodness me'," Aitken said.
"I really took my hat off that they dug deep and picked themselves up from there on in, but it's a 60min game, we all know that."
Australia welcomed back centre Natalie von Bertouch from a sternum injury, and she added starch on defence as the Ferns struggled for flow through their midcourt.
While Australia kept the same lineup throughout, Aitken made several changes.
Goal attack Maria Tutaia suffered a quadricep strain late in the first half and was subbed for Paula Griffin who made a nervy shooting start. Tutaia's injury wasn't serious, Aitken said.
Joline Henry replaced Katrina Grant at goal defence, while wing attack Maree Bowden was benched at halftime with Temepara George and Laura Langman shuffling forward and wing defence Larissa Willcox playing her first transtasman test.
Home coach Norma Plummer was baffled by the late scare from the Ferns.
"Thank god we had a 12-goal lead. Full marks to them, they came back strongly and that's what you know the Ferns are always going to do.
"It disappoints me to think we faded away like that because our defensive game for three quarters was fabulous."
McMahon, in her 99th test, sensed the New Zealanders were struggling at halftime.
"We were really positive going into halftime and in the third quarter, we really blew them out of the water and won the game then," she said.
- NZPA
