It’s on. The Netball World Cup final fans have dreamed of since the spine-tingling double-extra time win by Australia over New Zealand in Singapore in 2011. The Trans-Tasman foes will fight for gold in Sydney on Sunday, after the Diamonds beat a determined and physical Jamaica 67-56 in front of 16,244 people.
The undefeated Silver Ferns advanced to the decider after beating England 50-39 in a tighter-than-expected tussle earlier on Saturday.
Led by captain Laura Geitz, who made life difficult for her Queensland Firebirds team mate, prolific goal shooter Romelda Aiken, Australia played some of their best netball of the tournament.
Geitz shared a quick high-five with Aiken when they matched up, before a steely gaze took over. Although Geitz gives 11cm away to the Sunny Girls’ 196cm spearhead, she had an immediate impact, with an important deflection just a few minutes in.
Geitz was joined by Julie Corletto, who has been handled with kid gloves to get her through the tournament, at goal defence. Renae Hallinan, the only Diamond named in the starting seven for every match this World Cup, was at wing defence.
Coach Lisa Alexander stuck with her ‘team shooting’ ethos, putting Caitlin Bassett, shooting at 90%, at goal shooter and her ‘partner’ Nat Medhurst, firing at just 67%, at goal attack. Another of Aiken’s Firebirds team mates, Kim Ravaillion started at centre and Kimberlee Green went to wing attack.
Shanice Beckford, who has played a supporting role to Aiken all tournament, with 88% accuracy, started at goal attack. The 173cm 20-year-old only sunk five goals in the first quarter, as Aiken, who came into the match as one of the Cup’s most accurate shooters at 93%, carried the load, shooting 10/11.
Bassett, with 13 goals, and Medhurst, with four, delivered the best possible start, shooting at 100% in the first, to put the Aussies 17-15 up at the first break.
The second quarter started with three unanswered Aussie goals to make it 20-15. Medhurst got into a physical tit-for-tat with the Sunny Girls’ goal defence Vangelee Williams before an injury time break cooled the atmosphere. Kadie-Ann Dehaney came on to replace Stacian Facey at goal keeper.
Bassett was unfazed, keeping her sheet clean in the second, scoring 12 from 12, to bring her game total to 26 – at 100%. Medhurst added another 5, to finish the half with nine, at 90%. Aiken finished with 18/20 and Beckford 8/10. The half-time score was 35-26.
The Sunny Girls came out from the break with purpose, scoring the first three goals, putting them in touching distance at 35-29, but the Aussies responded, mainly with hassling defence, including a ‘wall’ used on the transverse line for Jamaica’s centre, to finish the quarter 49-42.
Aiken, with 11, and Beckford, with five, lifted their intensity to both shoot at 100% in the third. The Sunny Girls outscored the Aussies by two in the quarter.
Bassett and Medhurst were working under trying conditions under the ring, as the Jamaican circle defenders piled on the physical pressure. Bassett finished with 10 for the quarter, while Medhurst scored four.
Alexander only made one change at the final break, bringing Sydney Swifts defender and crowd favourite Sharni Layton to keeper.
The Sunny Girls managed 14 in the last – nine care of Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, who came on so Aiken could go to goalkeeper for the last 10 minutes – while the Diamonds sparkled, piling on more goals.
Bassett finished with 49/52 at 94% with Medhurst 18 for the match, at 95%. The Aussie finished full of fizz and ready for a fight.
Post-game captain Laura Geitz downplayed the rivalry between Australia and New Zealand ahead of the final.
“I don’t think we’re thinking of it as such a massive game,” said Geitz. “It’s just another game and about what we would do for any other game of this competition.
“The netball court’s the same size, we know how to play netball, we’re not going to try and come out and do anything different to what we’ve done this week, apart from maybe putting out more consistent netball. That’s the approach we’ll take.”
The Diamonds skipper did single out Silver Ferns shooter Maria Tutaia as one to watch, hinting at how the team would prepare against her.
“Maria’s obviously very, very confident at the moment,” said Geitz. “She’s needs a different sort of game plan to most attackers, who want to push away from the post. With her, you actually want to push her close the post. That’s what tonight will be dedicated to, going over [the video]. Obviously we’ve seen them in bits and pieces but tonight we’ll be observing them very, very closely.”
