Regardless of the last-minute absence of shooter Donnell Wallam, and an damage to Maddy Proud, the Diamonds have sewn up their Check sequence towards England with a sport to spare following a 56-48 victory earlier than a crowd of 14,000 at Qudos Financial institution Area on Sunday.
Wallam had secured the Diamonds’ thrilling 55-54 victory over England when she scored eight of eight pictures in her remaining quarter debut on Wednesday, together with the profitable objective within the remaining seconds of the match. She had been within the highlight within the lead-up to the sequence for her opposition to sponsors Hancock Prospecting, who final week dumped their $15 million deal with Netball Australia.
Diamonds centre Maddy Proud acquired an damage through the group’s profitable sport.Credit score:Getty Pictures
She was lacking from the Diamonds’ line-up on Sunday, reportedly because of a virus, and was changed by objective shooter Sophie Garbin. Wing defence Amy Parmenter changed centre and wing participant Kate Moloney, as objective assault Sophie Dwyer returned to the courtroom.
The Diamonds discovered their method round England’s defence, together with the Roses’ formidable goalkeeper Funmi Fadoju. Objective shooters Cara Koenen and Kiera Austin contributed eight objectives every to Australia’s 16-11 lead within the first quarter.
The margin closed to 28-24 by half-time, as England picked up their defensive sport and located their capturing mojo. However Diamonds centre Jamie-Lee Worth and wing assault Paige Hadley fed Koenen and Austin’s 93-per-cent capturing accuracy.
Proud got here onto the courtroom within the third quarter however was taken out of the match with 90 seconds left when she acquired an unintentional elbow to the face from a teammate.
England’s star objective shooter Eleanor Cardwell goes up towards Diamonds defender Jo Weston compete.Credit score:Getty Pictures
Towering Diamonds goalkeeper Sarah Klau saved up the strain on England sharpshooter Eleanor Cardwell, forcing her to shoot from lengthy vary within the third quarter and snapping up three rebounds. Australia completed the third quarter up 42-34.
Hadley and Worth continued to create alternatives, feeding greater than 50 passes into the objective circle all through the sport. Koenen scored 29 of the Diamonds’ objectives, capturing at higher than 92 per cent. England completed with extra possession, intercepts and turnovers, and Cardwell was the highest scorer, netting greater than 40 objectives, but it surely was the Diamonds who emerged victorious.
