Diamonds Claim Test Series Against England

The Australian Diamonds have wrapped up the series against England ahead of the third and final Test on Sunday, winning 67-36 in the second-Test of the 2011 Holden Netball Test Series at AIS Arena on Wednesday night.

It was the Diamonds third highest ever score against England and their equal highest score against England since 1999.

“It was a target of ours to up our intensity and keep it up for the 60 minutes and I think we did a very good job for most of the 60 minutes,” Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander said.

“I thought in the last quarter we let it slip a bit, they scored 12 goals when I would have liked to keep them below ten.”

After overcoming a slow start, the Diamonds were impressive in their defensive pressure across the court, a trade mark of coach Lisa Alexander, with the team finishing with seven intercepts, 18 deflections and forcing 11 stray passes from England.

Both teams made extensive use of their benches throughout the game with Julie Corletto the only Diamond not to take the court.

“It showed tonight that we can put any combination out on court and it works,” Player of the Match Kim Green said.

“I thought tonight that when the changes were made that we quickly got onto it and got on with the game.”

“I’m very confident that we can get through to the New Zealand matches and contest.”

Lisa praised the defensive efforts from her players, including Amy Steel who made her first start for the Diamonds at goal defence with Firebirds team mate Laura Geitz at goal keeper.

“We pick our team based on the best form coming in, it’s never people getting a go for the sake of it, people have to earn their go in the Australian team regardless of who we’re playing and tonight that was the case,” Alexander said.

“I thought Amy Steel put her hand up at training this week and said that she really wants it and Rebecca Bulley came on and had a dynamic fourth quarter and completely shut down their goal attack.”

“It’s a coach’s dream to be able to be able to do this, I understand that I’m in a very privileged position as the coach of Australia and the Diamonds that I have at my disposal is wonderful.”

Diamonds’ Kim Green made a strong case for the centre position with captain Natalie von Bertouch ruled out for the remainder of the 2011 Holden Netball Test Series with a Player of the Match performance.

“I’m thrilled with Kim’s form at the moment, there’s no doubt at that,” Alexander said.

“I thought she had an extremely strong half in Newcastle and she built on that in her three-quarters tonight.”

“She’s really bringing her game to a whole new level and this is her opportunity to stamp her authority in the team as the number one centre while Natalie von Bertouch is out so I think she’s relishing the opportunity by the look of it.”

WAIS-AIS netballer Caitlin Bassett made her second appearance of the series for the Diamonds, contributing at over 80 percent from the shooting circle in the second half.

The Diamonds travel to Sydney for the third-Test against England on Sunday at Allphones Arena.

– Netball Australia