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The Diamonds have shrugged off every week dominated by the Tremendous Netball pay dispute to beat New Zealand by 10 factors and take a 1-0 lead within the Constellation Cup.
Key factors:
- The Diamonds take a 1-0 lead within the sequence over New Zealand with a 50-40 victory
- Transient energy outages left the court docket in darkness with seven minutes left within the third quarter
- The second sport of the sequence is on the Brisbane Leisure Centre on Sunday
A scoring blitz at first of the second quarter set Australia on their means and so they held a younger Silver Ferns aspect at bay to say a 50-40 victory in Melbourne.
Not even temporary energy outages, with the court docket twice left in darkness with seven minutes left within the third quarter, might cease the slick-passing Diamonds.
The victory got here after the world champions’ build-up to the sequence opener was overshadowed by the breakdown in collective participant settlement negotiations between Tremendous Netball gamers and Netball Australia (NA).
It boiled over on Monday night time through sparring statements from the Australian Netball Gamers Affiliation and NA.
The Diamonds received right down to enterprise on Thursday night time.
Courtney Bruce was participant of the match after she began at aim keeper and dominated younger Silver Ferns aim shooter Amelia Walmsley (21/25), earlier than shifting into aim defence.
Melbourne Vixens centre Kate Moloney got here on late within the first quarter after a knee harm scare to Paige Hadley, and offered vitality that took Australia up a stage.
Kiera Austin (22/27) and Cara Koenen (27/31) proved a slick pairing in Stacey Marinkovich’s assault, whereas New Zealand captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio (17/20) was busy.
Bruce set the tone when, with Australia main 10-8, she pulled off a large intercept with three minutes left within the first quarter.
Simply earlier than quarter-time, Hadley was clutching her left knee after NZ centre Maddy Gordon fell on her.
Moloney changed Hadley, who Netball Australia mentioned had been cleared of harm.
Dwelling-town favorite Moloney, who was a reserve on the World Cup, upped the tempo nearly instantly.
Main 12-10 at quarter-time after a Koenen buzzer-beater, the Australians exploded out of the break and shortly powered out to a six-point lead.
Austin seemed snug with Moloney feeding her the ball, and continued to present the New Zealand defence complications because the Diamonds nudged out to a nine-point lead on the important break.
New Zealand responded after half-time and had been in a position to outscore Australia 14-11 within the third quarter to chop the deficit to 6 (40-34) at three-quarter time.
However the Diamonds by no means critically seemed beneath risk and closed out the sport in skilled style.
The second sport of the sequence is on the Brisbane Leisure Centre on Sunday.
AAP
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