12 Oct 2016

Ferns to target Bassett in search for win

10:50 am on 12 October 2016

The Silver Ferns will be targeting Australia's star shooter Caitlin Bassett in tonight's second Constellation Cup netball Test in Launceston.

The Diamonds trounced New Zealand 68-56 in the first Test in Sydney on Sunday, with goal shoot Bassett scoring from all 47 of her attempts.

The score also equalled Australia's highest ever total against the Ferns.

Goal Shoot Caitlin Bassett in action for the Australia Diamonds

Goal Shoot Caitlin Bassett in action for the Australia Diamonds Photo: Photosport

The defeat comes off the back of a 3-0 series whitewash of Jamaica in New Zealand in September.

The Silver Ferns captain Katrina Grant said they were caught a bit off-guard by Australia in the first test, despite their match fitness.

"Australia are the World Champions and they know exactly what we've been up to," Grant said.

"They've watched the footage of us against Jamaica and they know where we were successful and we need to make sure that we go back and really tweak what we've been doing.

"It's just a few little things, 12 goals we can definitely pull back and that's exactly what we're hoping to do."

New Zealand's  Katrina Grant and Australia's Gretel Tipett contest the ball in 2016 Constellation Cup test

New Zealand's Katrina Grant and Australia's Gretel Tipett contest the ball in 2016 Constellation Cup test Photo: Photosport

One of those tweaks the Ferns are hoping to make is to put more defensive pressure on the Diamonds right through the court in an attempt to make it harder for shooter Caitlin Bassett to get on such a roll.

"Any ball going into Caitlin you always have to contest just to make sure you wear her down, otherwise it's really hard to stop her and she just gets her confidence up and that's when we know that we're in trouble," Grant said.

"So we need to make sure the defenders outside the circle - as well as even goal attack, wing attack - we're all doing our jobs and we're all defending everybody...to make that ball into her that much harder."

Coach Janine Southby named an unchanged team of 12 from that which lost on Sunday.

Grant is hopeful veteran defender Anna Harrison will play more of a role in tonight's clash.

Harrison played just one quarter at wing defence on Sunday, in what was her first game back since suffering a calf injury.at the end of August.

Silver Fern defender Anna Harrison

Silver Fern defender Anna Harrison Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Star shooter Maria Tutaia - who is also recovering from injury - has not been considered fit enough to play in either of the first two Tests.

Grant said the pair are making good gains and she's eager for Harrison to be more involved in the defensive end tonight.

"Every day they've been reassessed by the physio and the trainer and seeing how much load we can put on them," she said.

"Anna was only going to play one quarter [on Sunday] so she got through that fine and I think she's pulled up pretty well."

The second test gets underway at 10pm tonight (NZ Time).