Sunday 16 August 2015 09:47, UK
Australia held off arch-rivals New Zealand to claim their third consecutive Netball World Cup crown with a thrilling 58-55 win in front of a packed Allphones Arena in Sydney.
After their shock loss to the Silver Ferns on day three of the tournament, the Diamonds exacted revenge when it mattered most to claim Australia's 11th world title.
The Diamonds' victory, which follows their World Cup title wins in 2007 and 2011, delivered Goal Defence Julie Corletto the perfect send-off in the final game of her netball career.
In the fifth straight World Cup final between netball's fiercest rivals, Australia made a statement in a 16-7 opening quarter, but were forced to fend off a last-quarter fightback from the Silver Ferns to reclaim their world crown.
The Diamonds were again spearheaded by an impressive shooting performance from Goal Shooter Caitlin Bassett, who finished with 47 goals from 51 attempts for the match, alongside Nat Medhurst (11/13).
There were no surprises in either starting line-up for the final, with both coaches opting for their favoured starting line-ups.
The only change to the Diamonds line-up that opened in the preliminary round match against New Zealand last Sunday was Corletto starting at Goal Defence instead of Sharni Layton.
After a tight opening few minutes, it was the Diamonds that got the crucial break through some brilliant defensive work from captain Laura Geitz.
By the halfway mark of the first quarter, the Diamonds had opened up a 9-4 lead, prompting an early-time-out from the Silver Ferns to regroup.
But it was the Diamonds who emerged from the break in play to build on their lead to take a 16-7 advantage into the quarter-time break.
Coming off a brilliant performance against Jamaica in the semi-final, Bassett carried her form into the final, not missing a goal in the opening quarter.
Maria Tutaia (38/53) starred in New Zealand's preliminary round win against Australia and shaped as a danger in attack, but Corletto wore her like a glove early in the battle as the Ferns' ace shot at a shaky 4/8 in the first quarter.
Powerful midcourter Kim Green gave Australia plenty of drive into attack as the Diamonds extended their lead to 12 goals in the second quarter before the Ferns closed the margin to eight goals at the half-time break.
As they have done throughout the tournament, the Silver Ferns made a change in defence for the start of the second half, bringing on veteran Leana de Bruin at Goal Defence in place of Katrina Grant, while the Diamonds made no change to their line-up.
With New Zealand's midcourt general Laura Langman starting to assert her dominance in the Centre and Tutaia lifting her influence, the Ferns cut the margin to five goals in the third quarter, with the Diamonds taking a 43-37 lead into the last quarter.
The Silver Ferns again got as close as three goals in the final quarter, but the Diamonds, with a big final quarter from Medhurst, were able to hang on to defend their crown.
The result gave Australia Commonwealth Games and World Cup victories in consecutive years for the first time since 1998-99.
