Summary
The drought has broken. New Zealand led Australia at every quarter. They defended superbly, attacked with strength and fully deserve their win.
Silver Ferns captain Laura Langman says “it’s always great to get a double-u”. Why can’t people just say win? It would be easier and less annoying. She said it twice.
Caitlin Bassett, the Diamonds captain, says the Silver Ferns defended well, giving credit where credit is due.
Thank you all for your company this afternoon, from the thousands of readers checking in from Australia and New Zealand, to those reading in such far flung places as United Arab Emirates, Ireland and China. Till next time.
Updated
New Zealand beat Australia
Final score: New Zealand 55 - Australia 44.
We’re into the final minute. New Zealand 55 - Australia 42.
Two minutes left in Hamilton. The clock is ticking and time is running out for the Diamonds. New Zealand 54 - Australia 41.
The New Zealand crowd is going nuts as the Silver Ferns close in on victory. New Zealand 52 - Australia 41. Three minutes to go.
Four minutes left. New Zealand 51 - Australia 41.
We’re into the final five minutes. New Zealand 50 - Australia 41.
Ferns hit 50!
Six minutes to go. New Zealand 50 - Australia 40.
Updated
Seven minutes to go. New Zealand 48 - Australia 40.
Eight minutes to go. New Zealand 47 - Australia 39.
Australia score for the first time in minutes. New Zealand 46 - Australia 38.
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The Ferns are in the biggest lead of the game so far. New Zealand 46 - Australia 37.
Folau scores, yet again. New Zealand 45 - Australia 37.
The home fans are at fever pitch. The Silver Ferns are on the verge of something great if they can hold the lead for another 12 minutes. New Zealand 43 - Australia 37.
They’re matching each other goal for goal so far in the final hurdle. New Zealand 42 - Australia 37.
Final quarter under way
Can the Ferns hold on?
Silver Ferns lead at three-quarter time
New Zealand 41 - Australia 36.
One minute left in the quarter and it’s New Zealand 40 - Australia 34.
Back to Hamilton and there are four minutes left in the third quarter. New Zealand 39 - Australia 32.
Final score from Fenway Park. Boston Red Sox 2 - Houston Astros 7. The Astros lead the series 1-0.
Six minutes remaining in the third quarter. New Zealand 36 - Australia 31.
The Ferns have scored the last five goals. New Zealand 35 - Australia 28.
Australia are not used to trailing the Ferns, and the pressure is showing. New Zealand 34 - Australia 28.
Third quarter under way
The Ferns are continuing as they finished the second quarter. New Zealand 32 - Australia 28.
In case you missed it, we have a fantastic story about a football-mad girl who has won fame because boys refused to shake her hand.
The Astros’ lead has blown out to 7-2 over the Red Sox. Boston need something special to pull this one out of the fire.
New Zealand lead at half-time
NZ 30 - Australia 26. What a fine first half that was.
NZ hit 30! NZ 30 - Australia 26.
60 seconds left in the half. NZ 29 - Australia 25.
The New Zealand fans are smiling. And why wouldn’t they? NZ 28 - Australia 24 with two minutes left in the half.
Lots of fine shooting from both sides. Very few misses so far. NZ 26 - Australia 22.
It’s not as rough as yesterday’s New Zealand v Australia women’s rugby league Test, but there is no quarter being given in this Silver Ferns v Diamonds game. NZ 25 - Australia 20.
Bit of rough and tumble on the court, with a few players hitting the boards. NZ 22 - Australia 20.
Updated
Jane Watson gets a word of caution. NZ 21 - Australia 20.
All tied with nine minutes to half-time. NZ 19 - Australia 19.
There are a few Australian supporters in Hamilton for the game, but they’re mostly drowned out by the vociferous locals. NZ 19 - Australia 18.
They’re matching each other goal for goal. NZ 16 - Australia 16.
Fabulous score from Folau. NZ 15 - Australia 14. The home crowd is loving it.
Second quarter starts
And Australia immediately equalise. NZ 14 - Australia 14.
I pressed send just a moment too soon. Houston just got another run. Red Sox 2 - Astros 4.
Back to Boston, where it’s top of the ninth. Red Sox 2 - Astros 3.
NZ take the lead. NZ 14 - Australia 13 at quarter time.
Folau gets the equaliser. NZ 13 - Australia 13. Seconds to go in the first quarter.
Folau, again. NZ 11 - Australia 13.
Turnover to the Diamonds. NZ 10 - Australia 13.
Diamonds lead by 4. NZ 9 - Australia 13.
Folau scores. NZ 8 - Australia 11, with five minutes to go in the 1st.
Updated
Tippett again, NZ 7 - Australia 9.
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Tippett’s height has helped the visitors take the lead. NZ 7 - Australia 8.
Ball change because there was some blood on it. Crampton’s blood. She’s off, Patterson’s on and immediately scores. NZ 7 - Australia 5.
The Silver Ferns are defending very well so far.
One third of the way through the 1st and it’s NZ 5 - Australia 5.
The Silver Ferns are leading, three minutes into the 1st. NZ 3 - Australia 2.
NZ are now on the scoreboard too. NZ 1 - Australia 1.
And Australia just took seconds to take the lead. NZ 0 - Australia 1.
We are under way!
Test three is up and running.
Updated
Top of the 8th in Boston, and it’s still Red Sox 2 - Astros 3.
The New Zealand anthem is nice too, by the way.
A stirring rendition of the Australian anthem there. It always gives me a shiver. In a good, proud way.
Updated
This is the 144th netball Test match between New Zealand and Australia. Hopefully they have something special planned when the 150th comes round.
It’s almost anthem time at Claudelands Arena in Hamilton, which means the game start is soon. I was in Hamilton once, in 2002. It had a lot of good record shops then, but I imagine most of them are closed now.
I will be dipping in and out of the Boston Red Sox versus Houston Astros game as well this afternoon. Mainly, I admit, because I’m a Red Sox fan. It’s bottom of the 7th and the Sox are trailing the Astros 2-3 at the Fenway.
Sharelle McMahon just threw me a curveball (if I can mix sport metaphors). She’s now saying straight up that the Ferns will win. I misread her earlier signals. Lesson learned. Hopefully.
The Australian players all seem to have the highest respect for Noeline Taurua. She’ll have a lot of inside knowledge on them.
Sharelle McMahon reckons the Silver Ferns are getting closer to the Diamonds. But not today.
Updated
Before we even start, it’s probably fair to say that the Constellation Cup will almost certainly remain with Australia for a sixth straight year.
New Zealand must win the last two Tests by a combined tally of 25 goals if they are to claim the silverware for a second time since the annual series began in 2010.
Australian midcourter Jamie-Lee Price, who’s poised to make her debut in Hamilton, said New Zealand’s approach hadn’t gone unnoticed.
She felt the world champions played into their third-ranked opponents’ trap at times.
“In the defence end we got a lot of ball but definitely we could probably tighten up a lot more in terms of the attacking end,” Price said.
“We play better when we play short. I think a few times when the Ferns caught us, we’d looked long and tried to put a long ball into Bassett.”
Veteran Silver Fern Maria Folau, who started in the unfamiliar goal shoot bib, landed 32 of 38, often from much longer range than Bassett.
Grant said the score in Townsville didn’t reflect the hard-fought nature of a Test in which New Zealand were crippled by 6-0 and 8-0 runs against them in the opening and closing quarters.
“I know it’s becoming a broken record but every time we get out on court, we need to make improvement somewhere.
“In front of a home crowd, I’m hoping we can take that extra step up.”
Veteran defender Katrina Grant believes the solution to the losing streak will be found, eventually, if they can hone the all-court defensive style being introduced by new New Zealand coach Noeline Taurua.
When the system clicks, Grant feels the ball won’t reach Bassett easily and certainly not as close to the hoop as in the losses in Brisbane (57-42) and Townsville (56-47).
“Her height is obviously a big factor and her shooting statistics are always high so we have to get the ball before it gets to her,” former skipper Grant told AAP.
“I feel like we’re making progress, putting pressure on their middies (midcourt). The more we’re doing it, the more it becomes second nature and we’ll get better and better.”
The supply line to Australian shooter Caitlin Bassett holds the key to the third Constellation Cup Test in Hamilton, both teams agree.
The towering captain with the unerring radar has been influential in all three Diamonds wins over the Silver Ferns in the past month, including a 37-from-38 effort in Townsville this week.
New Zealand must find a solution to Bassett if they are to end a streak of nine-straight trans-Tasman losses.
Preamble
The netball coverage will start soon. In the meantime, why not read about the Aussie battlers who co-own the horse that won $6 million at Randwick yesterday?
