Netball Diamonds polishing World Cup reputation in Constellation Cup with Silver Ferns
AUSTRALIAN captain Caitlin Bassett says a cleansweep against New Zealand in the Constellation Cup will send a strong message to all netball rivals ahead of the World Cup in the UK next year.
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AUSTRALIAN captain Caitlin Bassett says a cleansweep against New Zealand in the Constellation Cup will send a strong message to all netball rivals the Diamonds are back at the top of their game ahead of the World Cup in the UK next year.
Australia takes confidence from a 57-42 win over the Silver Ferns on Sunday into Wednesday’s second match of the four-game series in Townsville.
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Bassett said the Diamonds goal is to end the year with both the Constellation Cup and an unblemished record against the New Zealanders for more than a year.
But the star shooter said she and her teammates would never underestimate the Silver Ferns’ ability to cause an upset.
“We know every time we face New Zealand it will be physical and gritty,’’ she said.
“We won by 15 in the last game but that doesn’t mean we will roll over them in the next game.
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But the plan, the goal, is to go through undefeated. It will send a strong message to all the teams ahead of the World Cup.’’
Australia will be defending it’s world crown at the UK event to be played in Liverpool in July.
But England will go into the event with the knowledge they can beat the Diamonds in a big game situation following a one-goal win which dethroned Australia as Commonwealth Games champions earlier this year.
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Coach Lisa Alexander is experimenting with new combinations in the series with Sydney netballer Jamie Lee Price to come in for the second half of the series in New Zealand, replacing Melbourne centre Kate Moloney who made her Australian debut on Sunday.
After the Townsville game the Diamonds will fly to Hamilton and Wellington for matches on Sunday and the following Thursday.
AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND
October 10
Townsville Entertainment Centre
TV: GEM 7.30pm ADST