Anna Harrison isn't your typical wing defence - just ask Australia.

Long-limbed and lanky, Harrison breaks the traditional mould. She is no nimble midcourter.

Harrison's out-of-the-box selection was the surprise package of the Silver Ferns' first test triumph in Melbourne. Australia were caught off-guard, not by the Harrison Hoist, this time.

The formidable 1.87m-tall defender was a major contributor to the 54-52 upset victory that put the Ferns in the box seat to break their eight-year series drought against the Diamonds tomorrow night in Auckland.

Kayla Cullen was widely expected to assume Joline Henry's duties at wing defence, but Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu again proved she is not averse to pulling a swifty by handing Harrison her first full match in the role.

“Midcourt are normally the shorter, faster players,” Harrison said. “Combating those players can be difficult for a taller person, but I can use my length and timing to upset their passing.”

Harrison was all over her opposite, Kimberlee Green, last Sunday. Her unique tentacle-like reach was problematic for 45-test Green.

“If you look at her stats in terms of feeding, yeah, I'm pretty happy,” Harrison said. “I feel confident about what happened and what I can change. I'd like to be back there. It is different, potentially slightly easier than goal defence.”

Such was Harrison's impact, Taumaunu is likely to persist with the tactic as the Ferns attempt to seal the three-test series in front of a record New Zealand netball crowd tomorrow night. More than 9000 fans are expected to fill Vector Arena.

“They may be expecting her to start now, but the primary focus for putting Anna into wing defence was because I felt that was the best combination we had, rather than a surprise element for the Australians,” Taumaunu said.

Harrison's ability to thrive further up the court was first discovered at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India. After returning from a stint of beach volleyball, she came off the bench to claim crucial intercepts and spark the Ferns to the gold medal.

“I'm really pleased with her,” Taumaunu said. “People have perhaps forgotten how effective she was there in Delhi. She's always been in our box of tools there. It's been something we've practised since Delhi.

“When you've got someone like Joline with all that experience, sometimes it doesn't get out into test situations.”

Harrison has the ability to disrupt Australia's midcourt flow but there are concerns about her lack of experience in attack.

Sunday's contest was not a quality spectacle and there is a consensus Australia will lift their efforts significantly.

“It's been hammered into me that I need to improve my attacking,” Harrison said. “I like to think it's got much better. It's about making the right decisions and being available."

Taumaunu hoped Ferns captain Casey Williams would recover from a knee injury and play tomorrow.

- © Fairfax NZ News