Diamonds shine in Kiwi revenge goal
A MONTH’S plotting and planning has delivered Australia’s netball team a rousing 57-54 payback victory in the opening match of the annual Constellation Cup in Auckland last night.
In a physical encounter, the Diamonds avenged last month’s 10-goal loss to the Silver Ferns – their biggest defeat in almost three years.
“There was a lot of passion out there tonight,” said Diamonds captain Caitlin Bassett.
“When we play with heart and with composure we play at our best. We knew it would be tough but we stayed composed. I’m very proud of us.”
The Australians returned to New Zealand intent on regaining ascendency over their chief netball foes and with the arsenal to achieve the result after what coach Lisa Alexander described as a “big kick up the backside”.
“We are not great losers. It makes you examine everything and we have done that,” said Alexander, who reshuffled her midcourt and bought in new shooters Susan Pettitt and Steph Wood for this four-Test series which moves to Invercargill on Sunday.
Major changes in the wake of the disastrous Quad Series loss saw a more settled, patient line-up stamp their authority on the Auckland court with captain Bassett and shooting playmaker Pettitt strong and measured in the first half.
Chastised by their coach last month for a “simply unacceptable” performance against New Zealand, the Diamonds ensured there was no replay of the lacklustre and penalty-ridden game which cost them both pride and the Quad Series crown.
Instead, for most of the match, it was the Diamonds of old – slick, super fast, confident and clean – who turned up to play in Auckland with the midcourt creative, the defence hard working and the attack calculated and composed.
After trailing by eight in their last match-up after just 15 minutes of play, the Diamonds came out hard and fast and were rewarded with a 17-13 quarter-time lead.
By the second quarter their intensity saw the Diamonds rack up an incredible eightgoal jump before being hauled back to lead 29-25 at half-time.
Bassett (19:21) and Pettitt (10:14) shot at 83 per cent for the half compared to the 89 per cent strike rate of Maria Tutaia (12:15) and Bailey Mes (13:13).
Alexander replaced Pettitt with Woods after the break with the change disrupting the Diamonds rhythm. The Diamonds took a 42-38 lead into the final period but a midcourt shuffle backfired with the Silver Ferns moving to within one goal just three minutes in.
The Australians responded by replacing Emily Mannix with first-half star Kim Ravaillon before eventually running out three-goal winners at the end of a bruising encounter.
“That was the best game I’ve seen Kim Rav play in a while,” Bassett said.