Aitken delays selection of Silver Ferns

NZPA ©

A dearth of clear choices in a couple of attacking spots has prompted national coach Ruth Aitken to delay naming her side for this year's international netball series until the end of August.

Aitken had been due to announce her 12-strong team on July 31 after Monday's trans-Tasman netball championship final in Sydney between New South Wales Swifts and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.

Aitken will instead name an extended New Zealand squad of up to 18 players next week before culling it back at the end of August, the New Zealand Herald reported today.

Her main areas of concern appear to be at wing attack and goal attack.

Shooter Jodi Brown and last year's captain, Adine Wilson, are both taking time out for motherhood, Southern Steel's Liana Barrett-Chase, 23, expecting her second child, and veteran centre and mother of three, Julie Seymour, yet to confirm whether she will be available for the international season.

This leaves Tactix' Maree Bowden and the Magic's Laura Langman as the only incumbents.

New Zealand play Australia twice in September and then meet England in a three-test series in October.