Diamonds’ Netball World Cup 2023: Madi Browne calls for smart netball to win Jamaica semi

Australia were handed a reminder by England that no World Cup is “smooth sailing”, but former star Madi Browne says the Diamonds are not out of it if they play smart netball.

Former Diamonds midcourter Madi Browne believes Australia’s shock World Cup loss to England is not the worst thing that could have happened to the Diamonds and is backing them to beat semi-final opponent Jamaica – as long as they play the smart game.

Browne, a two-time winner of the Liz Ellis Diamond as Australia’s best player, said Thursday’s loss to the Roses was a reminder that the road to winning back the World Cup was not going to be “easy sailing”.

“Not that they would think that, but sometimes you just need a reminder that this is a World Cup and on any given day, it’s anyone’s ball game,” Browne said.

With six of Jamaica’s key players Super Netball regulars, the teams know each other’s strengths and weaknesses well and the semi-final will be an epic clash of skill and strength expected to be a physical encounter.

Australia were shocked by England but Madi Browne predicts them to fight back – if they play smart netball. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Netball World Cup 2023 via Getty Images

But Browne does not think that’s where the game will be won.

“As much as it’s going to be a physical battle, I actually think the game’s going to be won between the ears,” she said.

The local crowd will be backing the Jamaicans to knock the world’s number one nation out of the tournament and the Aussies will have to weather the storm.

Unlike the preliminary rounds, some of which were played with hundreds of empty seats, the finals sessions have long been sold out and the din the Diamonds can expect inside the Cape Town International Convention Centre is incredible.

“The crowd (when Jamaica played) New Zealand, you could sort of see it whittle away at (the Silver Ferns) as the quarters went on,” Browne said.

“You can be in it and you can ride the adrenaline rush but then that is taking energy away from what you’re actually meant to be doing.

“So how you ride that (is crucial) because (the game against England) was actually their first test of the crowd.

“We’ve been to South Africa and Jamaica, South Africa and New Zealand and seen how loud it can really get, so it’s about trying to block out that white noise.”

Coach Stacey Marinkovich has talked about the “perceived pressure” that noise can create, even when the team is leading on the scoreboard.

If they can control their response in that situation, Browne believes the Diamonds can win.

“I think if we can just finetune some of those things (it will make all the difference). When it came to the clutch moments, we just seized up a little bit, or (had) tunnel vision and just weren’t quite in that element of feeling space and time and that we had full control of it.

“I think we can still beat them.”

It’s going to be no easy task though.

While the top four teams would all back their defenders, the Super Netball trio of Shamera Sterling, Latanya Wilson and Jodi-Ann Ward are arguably the world’s best at the moment, while shooter and Sunshine Girls captain Jhaniele Fowler is in ominous form.

Shamera Sterling is among the Super Netball stars that Australia must be wary of against Jamaica. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Netball World Cup 2023

“I’ve been really impressed with Jamaica at the tournament so far and I think they’ve stepped up another notch since the tournament at the Commonwealth Games last year – which is probably petrifying for the rest of the world,” Browne said.

The bookends for both teams have been outstanding.

Where Jamaica has made real strides since last year’s Commonwealth Games – where they beat the Diamonds in the round game before falling to them in the gold medal match – is the midcourt.

“At Comm Games last year, I would have said they’ve got a couple of little weak spots (in the midcourt) but they actually have that depth now, they have the rotations that they were missing and that’s what’s allowing them to be a lot stronger,” Browne said.

“They’ve just got all the extra tools up their sleeve at their disposal which they haven’t had previously which I think makes them so frighteningly dangerous.”

Preventing the ball from getting into the circle is always the aim when the towering Fowler is playing and the midcourt battle is where the game is likely to be won and lost.

“And that’s probably where we boast some of the most experienced players, both in test caps but also in age and playing in big moments,” Browne said.

“We’ve got Paige (Hadley) in the centre but we’ve also got Jamie (Price) that’s been in these big moments as well.

“So the ends will be the ends – we talks about the bookends, I think it will be quite physical, I think we saw Australia get penalised more than we’ve seen for the rest of the tournament (against England).

“Cleaning up that so that we don’t draw attention to ourselves (will be key).

“Both teams will bring it. I hope we get just a really good contest.”

Originally published as Diamonds’ Netball World Cup 2023: Madi Browne calls for smart netball to win Jamaica semi