Focused Bowden edges closer to Ferns dream | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

A home town Silver Ferns debut against Jamaica at the Westpac tomorrow night would be a dream come true for midcourter Maree Bowden.

However, whether she gets on court or not for the test, the 28-year-old is a player who's "pretty happy where I'm at."

The uncapped 28-year-old has made every post a winner in her goal to play for the Ferns, even putting her teaching career on the back burner this year to give everything to netball.

A stunning trial in Auckland won her selection for the series against Jamaica and Australia that starts tomorrow here.

Coach Ruth Aitken admits Bowden was by no means a foregone conclusion for selection before the trials in Auckland.

"But I was delighted she was so dominant in the midcourt," she said. "She showed the confidence of having been in the New Zealand squad environment last year."

Bowden was "pretty relaxed" before the trials.

"I figure I'd done everything possible I could have done," she said.

"I went out and made sure I didn't leave anything on the court."

Bowden's maturity and intelligence have seen her shrug off setbacks which might have KO'ed some players.

Seven years ago, then a promising under-21 New Zealand rep, she was bedridden for months with glandular fever.

When she got on her feet again she saw a heavily pregnant Julie Seymour at the Hagley courts. She'd never met Seymour, but asked her to help her, and they've trained together since.

And after making the Ferns squad last year, Bowden missed selection for the UK tour - probably a blessing in retrospect.

That tour and Temepara George's walkout forced Aitken to review her centrecourt and defence, and Bowden is a beneficiary.

The team for tomorrow's test will not be named until just before the start, but Bowden now has the chance to advertise for a World Cup place.

The popular Flame had more than 60 messages on her phone when she turned it on after her selection was announced, and the calls and cards have been pouring in since in a "whirlwind week."

"It's been awesome," she said.

Jamaica lost 62-66 and 53-72 in Australia in the first matches of the series, but Bowden expects them to be very competitive.

"They've got a very tall goal shooter and our defence will have to have their jumping shoes on," she said.

"They play the ball around and it is really hard to get the ball off them. You have to work hard at cutting the ball down as quickly as you can."

Their midcourt did not have a lot of structure, which was always hard to play against, she said. The Ferns had to make sure of retaining the ball.

Ferns' training this week was about building combinations, she said. "We've all been with our franchises and we're working on communication and those links."

Bowden said it would be fantastic experience whether she played or not.

She'll have a host of family and friends along tomorrow in support - including her parents, who are only too happy to have an excuse to get away from the 9deg frosts in Alexandra this week.