Commonwealth Games 2018: Netball final ends in misery for devastated Diamonds

Australia has suffered the biggest gold medal upset in Commonwealth Games history in a heart-stopping netball final.

The Diamonds struggle to take in the result as the English team celebrates.

Australia has suffered the biggest gold medal upset in the history of the Commonwealth Games, losing to the English roses 52-51.

A “gutted” Diamonds captain, Caitlin Bassett was left struggling for words in the wake of the loss.

“It still doesn’t feel real ... We had an amazing run into this game, but just couldn’t get it done,” she said.

Bassett insisted that the result was not a failure, and that it wouldn’t define the team. She also encourage her teammates to “hold (their) heads high”.

“We didn’t play bad netball out there,” said Bassett.

The Diamonds had entered the contest unbackable favourites after dismantling New Zealand’s Silver Ferns 65-44 yesterday, and seemed set to become the first team to win gold at a home Commonwealth Games.

England celebrate victory.

But the team’s streak of hot form went missing when it was needed most. Australia never looked settled throughout the match, and many players will be left ruing poor performances.

The Diamonds looked to have the match under control with a four-goal lead in the final quarter, but two key turnovers from Australian centre Kim Ravaillion flipped the match in England’s favour.

English goal attack Helen Housby missed a shot with goals tied in the dying seconds, but a penalty called against the Australian defence handed Housby the ball for a shot after the siren. She didn’t miss.

OH MY WORD!

WHAT A FINISH!

ENGLAND UPSET AUSTRALIA 52-51 WITH A LAST SECOND GOAL!#7CommGames #MakeItEpic #WithGalaxy @SamsungAU pic.twitter.com/s8Odj6z9zi

— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 15, 2018

Australia’s shooters outperformed their opponents, sinking 51 of 56 attempts. The team simply weren’t able to give them enough opportunities and often struggled to navigate a frantic English defence led by centre Serena Guthrie, who collapsed to the floor with exhaustion when finally given a rest in the final quarter.

It was a fairytale finish for the Roses, who have been building to this moment over the past 24 months under coach Tracey Neville. Most of the team’s core has benefited enormously from time spent playing in Australia’s new Super Netball competition.

The Australian team on the podium.

The result also underscored the rapid growth of netball outside of Australia and New Zealand. This was the first Commonwealth Games gold medal match featuring a non-Anzac nation.

That will be of little consolation to the Diamonds and their coach Lisa Alexander, though. Alexander guided her team to gold on home soil in the 2015 world cup, and had stressed all along that she had refused to set the bar for success at gold on the Gold Coast.