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Diamonds are the world's best team
Australia players celebrate with the trophy after their victory in the final against New Zealand. Photo: Getty Images
SINGAPORE: Australia last night retained the world netball championship with a third consecutive finals defeat of Commonwealth Games champion New Zealand, in a typically dramatic final decided 58-57 by a goal to young shooter Caitlin Bassett in the last second of overtime.
For much of the match it had seemed that, for the first time in its rich netball history, Australia would be left without one of the sport's two major titles after New Zealand's Commonwealth Games triumph in Delhi nine months ago. Indeed, Silver Fern Maria Tutaia missed a mid-range shot that would have sealed her team's victory, before Bassett coolly slotted the decider at the other end.
It was yet another classic chapter in a storied rivalry in which 39 of the 103 matches played have now been decided by five goals or less. The Diamonds are now unbeaten in world championship play since their finals loss to New Zealand in Jamaica in 2003, and have won or shared 10 of the 13 titles decided.
Mo'onia Gerrard of Australia, left, and Temepara George of New Zealand compete for the ball. Photo: Getty Images
Earlier, Bassett, whose half-time substitution had helped ignite the Diamonds' recovery from a six-goal deficit, had missed a shot in the dying seconds of regular time that would have won the final for Australia, leaving the scores locked at 46-46 and forcing a further seven minutes of play at each end.
Coach Norma Plummer retained the starting seven that thrashed Jamaica with surprising ease in the semi-finals, Susan Fuhrmann's good record against Irene van Dyk earning her the goalkeeper's bib ahead of the shorter Laura Geitz. The Ferns, meanwhile, opted their most attacking line-up, with Joline Henry at wing defence rather than Anna Scarlett, and the more experienced Leana de Bruin preferred to Katrina Grant in the defensive circle.
New Zealand started better, scoring five of the first seven goals despite some early inaccuracy from Tutaia. There were also some perplexing contact calls against the Australian defenders, including two in the opening minutes against Julie Corletto.
Despite drawing level just before quarter-time, two goals in the last minute to van Dyk gave the Ferns a 12-10 lead at the change, and the Australians' difficulty penetrating the circle prompted the introduction of Chelsea Pitman for Kim Green at wing attack in what was just the Queensland Firebird's seventh Test.
Still, the Ferns scored the first three goals of the second term to push their lead to five, as a lack of flow in the Diamonds' attack made scoring difficult. And, at the other end, the 39-year-old marvel who is van Dyk kept calmly slotting shot after shot - 17 without a miss to half-time, when New Zealand led 26-20.
Changes were needed, and they came in the form of Bassett replacing Cath Cox, and Geitz summoned to try to curb van Dyk. Plummer had been confident all week that her bench could make the difference and, indeed, the impact was immediate, with the Diamonds launching a run of seven consecutive goals in five minutes to draw level.
Bassett, who had missed just one goal in five matches in Singapore, had two chances to put Australia in front, but could not, yet when Natalie Medhurst did the honours almost seven minutes before three-quarter time the defending champions' momentum seemed irresistible.
Still, as ever, there were more twists to come. New Zealand led again by three early in the last term, only for a Geitz interception to help Australia pinch the lead back again with just under four minutes left.
The teams' last meeting in a major competition was at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where New Zealand famously won 66-64 in double overtime to take the gold medal in one of the most dramatic matches in a storied trans-Tasman history littered with epic contests. This was among the most memorable.
The 2015 world championships will now be held in Sydney from August 9-16.
