Constellation Cup: Diamonds make it six in a row over Silver Ferns

Australia reasserted their trans-Tasman dominance and locked away the Constellation Cup for a sixth straight year.

Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander and captain Caitlin Bassett pose with the Constellation Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Australia reasserted their trans-Tasman dominance and locked away the Constellation Cup for a sixth straight year with a 58-47 dissection of the Silver Ferns.

It was one-way traffic in the fourth and final Test of the series as the Diamonds played with an intensity missing in last week’s shock 11-goal loss in Hamilton.

Coach Lisa Alexander ditched the rotation policy that backfired spectacularly on Sunday, instead fielding her strongest seven throughout in Wellington today.

Their defensive intensity ensured New Zealand’s attack was stilted but the biggest change came at the attacking end.

Rookie wing attack Kelsey Browne was electric and linked supremely with her shooting circle.

Captain Caitlin Bassett’s height was as influential as ever as she landed 37 from 43 shots while aerial maestro Gretel Tippett made the most of a surprise starting promotion ahead of Steph Wood and nailed 21 from 25.

New Zealand never looked like winning, let alone by the 14-goal margin they needed to snare the silverware on goal differential, for the first time since 2012.

Shooter Maria Folau missed only one of her 41 shots in Hamilton but was reduced to 27 from 34 yesterday.

She was marked doggedly by Courtney Bruce and took nearly five minutes to lodge her first shot.

Alexander said victory was set up by their early all-court defensive pressure, built on a desire to atone for their performance four days earlier.

“I’m really, really thrilled. We threw the challenge out to the group and everyone knew they hadn’t put their best foot forward in Hamilton,” she said. “Tonight’s performance was much more like what we expect.”

Browne was named player of the match for her ability to find space and make the right feeding choices, something Alexander said was a regular feature since the diminutive midcourter’s debut two months ago.

“Kelsey has became part of the woodwork. You would have thought she’d played with us for 10 years, truly. She’s just added so much to the team and I love her aggressiveness in defence as well.”

AAP