Live Netball Updates: Silver Ferns v Australia

All the action between Silver Ferns and Australia at the Constellation Cup.

Dame Noeline Taurua has named a 14-player squad for the four-game Constellation Cup against Australia.

The team includes World Cup winner Bailey Mes, who returns to the shooting circle after a long injury break that led to surgery after injuring her knee at the Netball Nations Cup in London on last year.

Mes said his return has been a long time coming.

“It was a very long process to get back on the court. I have returned to the games not yet complete, but I got there and everything is going very well,” Mes told the Country Sport Breakfast.

“It was a very subtle injury and it took me a while to figure out what was going on, which increased the time. Once I decided to have surgery, we hit the first block, so just several things that have slowed down the process.”

Midcourter Maddy Gordon has received her second call-up and could make her debut after not playing when she won her first invite to the team late last year. Gordon adds to a strong midfield presence, which Taurua said she was excited to unleash.

“The Silver Ferns and New Zealand netball is packed with amazing midfield players. Everyone has a point of difference and everyone is in impressive shape and hardworking,” he said.

The series marks the first time in more than a year since the world’s number one Australian team played an event.

“I know the Diamonds will be excited to get back on the court after such a long break from playing international netball,” Taurua said. “We are equally excited to play all four events against the world’s number one netball team in our homeland in front of our home crowd.

“It’s a series like this, against our longtime rivals, that really shows the best basketball.”

The timing and nature of the series, as both teams move towards the Commonwealth Games and Netball World Cup, meant that Taurua wanted to take on a larger team of 14 of which he would pick a team of 12 before each party.

All four tests will be played in Christchurch on March 2-3 and March 6-7.

Silver Ferns – Constellation Cup

Shooters
Ameliaranne Ekenasio
Monica falkner
Bailey Month
Maia wilson

Mid court
Maddy gordon
Gina crampton
Claire kersten
Kimiora poi
Shannon saunders
Whitney souness
Samantha winders

Defenders
Karin burger
Sulu Fitzpatrick
Jane watson