Delhi2010 – Diamonds Reach Gold Medal Match

The Australian Diamonds have qualified for their fourth straight Commonwealth Games gold medal match with a gritty 51-45 victory over England.

Trailing at half-time the Diamonds threw everything at the English team to eventually outrun their opponents by six goals. The win sets up an epic battleon Thursday nightwith arch-rivals the New Zealand Silver Ferns who eliminated Jamaica last night.

With Norma Plummer opting for a fast attacking line with Natalie Medhurst and Sharelle McMahon in the circle, Australia was able to get the first score on the board. However a dynamic English attack was able to take the early advantage in the first term grabbing a two goal lead in the opening five minutes. A Renae Hallinan intercept helped the Australians level the scores but a determined English outfit ensured the Australians didn’t develop any margin.

Battling with attack Pamela Cookey, Mo’onia Gerrard took a striking intercept to give the Diamonds a slight two goal advantage however with English goal keeper Geva Mentor matching the Australian down the other end the Australians couldn’t grab any momentum with the scores locked 12-all at quarter time.

Both teams opened the second term with errors with the English eventually able to convert their centre pass with shooter Jo Harten putting the ball in under the post. A turnover in the Australian circle gave Harten the opportunity to give England a two goal lead. Loose play by the Diamonds helped the English to a four goal lead, the biggest margin of the match so far.

A Medhurst goal stopped the English run, with the cool shooter looking composed under the ring. With Harten and Cookey combining well England maintained their three goal lead despite Medhurst’s growing impact on the game.

A time called by Australia looked to stop the English flow however Cookey was the first to score, after two Harten attempts.Australia kept their score line licking over with Gerrard providing the spark to help the Australians draw to within one.

However with the Diamonds attacking line break down the English stretched their lead to three, a McMahon goal narrowed the gap to 23-21 at the main change.

Plummer made no changes for the second half with the English bringing on shooter Louisa Brownfield to replace Harten.

Medhurst scored first in the third term with Brownfield quick to level thanks to some agile work by Cookey along the baseline. A goal for goal battle developed with both countries struggling to alter the two goal gap. A turnover on the Australian’s transverse line gave the English the break, jumping out to a four goal lead in a matter of minutes.

Tight work by Hallinan around the circle helped Australia pin the lead back to one. An English turnover in the circle gave goal keeper Laura Geitz the ball with the Diamonds rushing the ball down the court to level the scores 28-all with eight minutes to go in the third quarter.

Two quick goals thanks to Cookey gave England back the buffer but with Medhurst unflappable in the circle the Australians weren’t going to let the game slip. An error by wing attack Tamsin Greenaway gave the Australians the chance to level with a McMahon goal giving the Diamonds the lead for the first time since the first quarter.

With Gerrard pressuring every ball into Cookey, the Australians were able to take a two goal lead. An English time out aimed to halt the Australian momentum brought goal defence Sonia Mkoloma from the court. In the final minutes of the quarter the English were able to close the gap to one with the Australian’s leading at 35-34 at the last change.

Plummer made one change for the final quarter with Lauren Nourse replacing Kim Green in wing attack. The Australians opened the scoring only for the English to grab a quick reply. A Hallinan intercept gave the Diamonds a three-goal lead with Medhurst converting with a long bomb.

The goal gave the Diamonds their biggest lead of the game of four goals. Harten, returning to the court for the final quarter, got one back for the English but with Australia holding all the momentum the Australians jumped to a five margin before the English called an injury time to stop the Aussie flow.

The stop did little with Medhurst on fire in the circle, pushing the Australians lead to six. With eight minutes to go the game looked to be slipping from the English but with the margin staying at five the game was could still be stolen by the world number three. With an English run of play looking dangerous a Hallinan intercept turned the ball over on the circle. McMahon converted the turnover stretching the lead to six. As the time ticked down to leave three minutes remaining the English narrowed the gap to four but with a flurry of Diamonds goals in the final minutes the Aussie’s were able to run out 51-45 winners.

Australia will face theNew Zealand Silver Ferns for the gold medal on Thursday night. The match will commence at 4pm Perth time.

– Netball Australia