#Glasgow2014: Diamonds End 12 Year Wait for Gold

Australia’s long 12 year wait for Commonwealth Games gold is at an end, after a dominant win over rivals New Zealand in their gold medal match at the Hydro Arena.

The 58-40 win over New Zealand earned Lisa Alexander’s side the prize it had coveted most, having not won the top prize since the 2002 Manchester Games.

All of the talk and speculation leading in, had been focused on the expectation that this match would be decided by a handful of goals, or even through one inspired moment.

The first half followed the script, with Australia holding a narrow margin for the most part, with the Silver Ferns edging their nose ahead on a couple of occasions.

It was the third quarter however, that blew this match apart. Madi Robinson in the middle, Laura Geitz in defence and Caitlin Bassett in attack took charge, with Australia turning a four goal half-time advantage into a gold medal creating 11 goal buffer.

Robinson was everywhere. When she wasn’t creating assists at the attacking end, she was providing defensive cover at the other end, and it seemed almost everything the Australians mustered came through her hands.

Gietz as captain is an established superstar of this team, but in tonight’s final she showed why, winning her dual with Maria Tutaia, which eventually forced the Kiwis to look to bench, but there was no answers, not with Geitz in this form.

Bassett was in a class of her own. She shot 49 goals at 92%, ensuring Australia’s dominance was not wasted where it counts, on the scoreboard. Bassett’s fellow Western Australian teammate Natalie Medhurst supplied assistance in spades, as she has done all tournament, and added nine goals of her own in a highly impressive outing.

To illustrate the difference, Australia’s shot at 91% overall to New Zealand’s 74% and it seemed whenever a loose ball was up for grabs, Australian hands reached first.

With Australia’s victory deciding the major medals, Jamaica defeated England 52-48 to secure the bronze, in what will be remembered as one of the most competitive Commonwealth tournaments ever.