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Veteran Australian goal shooter Catherine Cox has bounced back from a poor first Test to help Australia level their netball series with New Zealand.
Cox was dominant as the Diamonds forced a deciding match in Melbourne on Sunday, the home side finishing strongly in the 51-44 win.
After losing a thrilling opening game 49-48 in Perth on Sunday, Cox was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, the 35-year-old hooked at halftime in the match after shooting 14 from 23.
But Cox improved markedly on Wednesday night, scoring 34 from 42 attempts, justifying rookie head coach Lisa Alexander’s faith in retaining her.
“I have been given the job as the captain so I should be out there leading by example, so I was really stoked that Lisa gave me the nod so I could rectify it,” Cox told reporters after the game.
She said the Australians were taught to keep fighting at all cost.
“It doesn’t matter if we are down by 11, we are going to fight to the death.”
Locked at 37-apiece going into the last quarter, the Australians lifted off the back of Cox who had started brilliantly with 11 goals at 100 per cent accuracy in the first quarter.
With talismanic goal shooter Irene van Dyk sitting out the match the Silver Ferns were forced to rely on Cathrine Latu, 24, who was well controlled but managed to shoot an accurate 27 from 31 although she slowed in the last period.
Silver Ferns coach Wai Taumaunu defended her decision not bring on van Dyk, saying it was never their intention sacrificing the game to give Latu a chance.
“It was certainly not the intention and at 37-all at three quarter time, I thought it was something that we had to do,” the coach said.
“It was Cat’s first Test against Australia, the decision was made to leave her out there for a game, to bring her to international level.”