Diamonds beat the Silver Ferns to win Quad Series title

The Australian Diamonds have cemented their place atop the netball tree with a 60 to 55 win over the Silver Ferns.

The Diamonds with the trophy after their Netball Quad Series matchagainst New Zealand Silver Ferns at Hisense Arena in Melbourne on Sunday.

The Australian Diamonds have cemented their place atop the netball tree with a 60 to 55 win over the Silver Ferns at Melbourne Arena.

Six month ago, Australia’s dominance of world netball was being questioned after an upset loss to England at the Commonwealth Games.

But three straight wins against South Africa, England and New Zealand have ended that conversation, for now.

Today’s victory in Melbourne was earned with more elbow grease than polish, as both teams struggled for composure in a scrappy contest.

“Nothing is pretty at the moment, nothing is seamless but I think the group is really building well… I thought we had it well in control for most of the game” said Australian coach Lisa Alexander.

The Diamonds took the lead in the second minute of the match, and never looked like losing from that point onwards.

Captain Caitlin Bassett wasn’t at her best in an at-times disjoined shooting circle, but ground out 46 goals from 50 attempts.

Gretel Tippett of the Diamonds takes the ball.

She was ably helped by Gretel Tippett at goal attack, who added 14 goals of her own without a miss, and 24 feeds, the most of any Australian player.

At the other end of court, Australia’s rangy defenders Jo Weston and Courtney Bruce hustled and harassed their opponents into a nervy performance.

Maria Folau shot 30 goals, but also coughed up 8 turnovers. Goal shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit looked totally defeated when benched at the end of the third quarter.

Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua lamented her side’s “victim mentality” in a match she felt they weren’t up for physically. She also said she would be looking at changes across the entire team in the wake of the loss.

Australian centre Kim Ravaillion has spent much of this year under a massive microscope, but put in four strong quarters today against one of New Zealand’s best in Laura Langman.

The win ensured that the Quad Series trophy stayed in Australia once again, a minor consolation prize after the disappointment on the Gold Coast.

Jane Watson of the Silver Ferns looks to control the ball.

Australia have less than 10 tests left on their schedule before next year’s Netball World Cup, so each match is now vital for players seeking to cement a spot in that squad.

Four of those contests come next month, in a Constellation Cup series against the Silver Ferns.

The Diamonds have now won seven straight matches against their arch-rival, but today’s score was evidence of the massive gains New Zealand has made over the past month.

Australia had won four straight tests against New Zealand by more than 10 goals, so pegging that lead back to five should comfort disgruntled fans across the ditch.

The Ferns will get their first chance to snap that losing streak in a fortnight, when the two teams meet again in Brisbane.