SYDNEY, Australia (CMC):

Australia's vice-captain Sharelle McMahon still considers New Zealand's Silver Ferns favourites for the 2007 World Netball Championship (WNC) in spite of their recent winning head-to-head record against them.

The former world champions Australia spanked the Silver Ferns 2-1 in a three-match series last month and have now won six of their last eight meetings against the World No.1.

But McMahon is resisting the favourites' label for the Australians ahead of the November WNC in Auckland.

"I don't know who is calling us favourites, we aren't calling ourselves that, that is for sure," McMahon said.

"We still firmly believe the Silver Ferns are World No.1 and the Commonwealth champions and are capable of winning it," she added.

New Zealand unseated Australia as world champions at the 2003 WNC in Jamaica and whipped them at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne last year March, a result that meant the Australians were failing to win theCommon-wealth Games gold medal for the first time.

Winning record

The 75 per cent winning record against New Zealand in the recent past (eight games), appears to give Australia a strong psychological advantage for worlds later this year, but McMahon believes it is still too close to call.

"Perhaps you could look at that from the last couple of results, but it is just so close and I don't think either team will go in as favourites," she said.

"When you look at the margin it has been seven or less," she added.

"It is still very, very tight and there is no way we would sit back and think we have it over them because they are still the world number one," McMahon said.

As the Australians continue to prepare for their ultimate goal of winning the 2007 world title, McMahon says she has the utmost respect for the fighting qualities of the Silver Ferns.

"New Zealand is capable of winning and that is something we will keep very firmly in the front of our minds, not in the back," McMahon said.

The 2007 World Netball Championships will be held at The Trusts Stadium in Auckland from November 10-17.

New Zealand will contest Pool A with Wales, Botswana and Malawi, who they open against.

Australia will start against Samoa and also face Scotland and former world champions Trinidad and Tobago in Pool B.

Caribbean champions and World No.3 Jamaica, face Cook Islands, their opening opponents, Fiji and Singapore in Pool C, and Pool D has England, South Africa, Barbados and Malaysia.