Confident Aussie n-ballers aim to win big

AUSTRALIA have sent out a strong message to their rivals ahead of the July 10-20 Cable and Wireless World Netball Championship to be held at the National Arena and the neighbouring new indoor sports facility in Kingston, Jamaica.

In an interview on the Netball Australia website, star shooter Sharelle McMahon, said the world champions and tournament favourites were confident of victory, so much so, they were looking forward to winning the final by a comfortable margin. “We have been talking about it and we don’t want a close (final) match,” said McMahon. “We want a margin of 10 or more, that is what we are aiming for,” she added. McMahon shot the winning goal in the final seconds of play in the 1999 final against New Zealand that handed Australia the title, and last year did the same at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, to give Australia a one-goal win over New Zealand and the gold medal. But according to her, while nail-biting finishes are exciting, they are far too risky, and as such she and her teammates would be striving to avoid close finishes. “I don’t want to do that again,” she said. “As great as it is for the spectators to watch, we really want to push it on this year and not let it come down to the last minute.”

McMahon, 25, is one of the more senior members of the Australian side. Showing great accuracy, especially from distance, she played a pivotal role in Australia’s recent 3-1 practice match series win over Jamaica in May, and ended the tour with the highest shooting percentage. The most consistent team in the game, Australia are expected to be rivalled by two-time winners, New Zealand and hosts, Jamaica, for the crown. The Aussies are currently  in Barbados, completing  final preparations before heading to Jamaica for the 10-day, 24-team tournament.