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Ferns have to improve their start

16/05/2007 5:20:02

The Silver Ferns are determined to get back on the right side of the ledger in this morning's test against Australia in Birmingham.

Coach Ruth Aitken says they are eager to show they have learnt from the loss to England. She says the true character of a team is shown in how they respond to disappointment, and she is really expecting her players to come out fired up. Aitken says they have to improve from the nightmare start they had in Manchester because they can not afford to be in catch-up mode.

There is confidence that key defender Casey Williams will be able to put a full game together if called on this morning. Her recovery from a knee injury interrupted her preparation for the England tour, but her appearance after halftime in the loss against England picked up the Ferns. Aitken says she is able to apply pressure and get in the heads of the shooters but she went off the boil in the last 10 minutes or so.

Aitken says veteran centre court player Julie Seymour has also been pushing hard for court time. Meanwhile, Australian coach Norma Plummer will not be leaving anything up her sleeve this morning. Plummer does not expect the Silver Ferns to be holding anything back, and her side will be taking a similar approach. She says both teams will be desperate to win the match and her side is in England to put out the best netball it can possibly put out.

Plummer says her side is using the tour to develop strong combinations and they will need to be up to scratch against New Zealand. The match gets under way this morning at 6-45.

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