Scores updated regularly. REFRESH NOW
2019 Netball World Cup group stage: Australia vs Zimbabwe |
||
| Venue: M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool, England | ||
| Match time: Fulltime | ||
| Australia | Sri Lanka | |
|---|---|---|
| 99 | SCORE | 24 |
| 19 | Q1 | 6 |
| 28 | Q2 | 9 |
| 28 | Q3 | 7 |
| 24 | Q4 | 2 |
The Australian Diamonds will wrap-up the preliminary stages of their World Cup defence by taking on Sri Lanka. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of what promises to be a thrilling match starting from midnight (AEST) on Monday morning.
Whilst this is David against Goliath in the netball world and the Diamonds are clear, clear favourites, they will want a faultless performance to build momentum into the tougher next stages of the tournament.
The Diamonds have been progressing well in their opening two games. Both have easy victories on the scoreboard and so the focus has very much been on the quality of their performance. Against Northern Ireland they were crisp and effective.
Against Zimbabwe, they were effective for sure but there have been some comments that suggest they’ll have been frustrated with some of their passages of play. The accuracy of their game was below their usual high standards and they will be wanting to sharpen up in this match.
We’ll be looking to Caitlin Bassett to set the tone as captain and she’ll be wanting a scoring percentage as close to perfect as possible. Her experience from the 2011 and 2015 World Cups will become more and more valuable later in the tournament but the team will still look to her in this easier game to set the example.
The Diamonds defence was in a mean mood in the final quarter against Zimbabwe and they’ll be wanting to maintain that standard for the whole game against Sri Lanka. Also look for a good game from centre Liz Watson who will be key in the later stages as the Diamonds look to control key games.
For Sri Lanka this match is about testing themselves and enjoying being on the big stage with the world’s best. They’ve lost both their first two games against Zimbabwe and Northern Ireland and no one is expecting anything different in this match.
What will be interesting though is to see if they can put together some passages of play where they can take control from Diamonds. If the Lankans try to match the speed of the Diamonds then they will struggle so they will need to find their own rhythm and play to their strengths.
These strengths include getting the ball to six feet 10 inches tall shooter, Tharjini Sivalingam. In the 2018 Asian Championships she had a goal accuracy of 93 per cent and if she can replicate that against the Australians than that will help her team no end.
Keep an eye out for wing attack Gayanjali Amarawansa too. Despite her relative youth – she’s just 24 years old – she’s already played 32 times for the national side and has become known as an exciting and effective wing attack. Her ability to feed Sivalingam with good ball will be key for the Sri Lankans.
Prediction
There’s no way this isn’t a win for the Diamonds so the key is that they deliver a comprehensive performance.
Australia by 50.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of what promises to be a thrilling match starting from midnight AEDT on Monday morning.
Where: M&S Bank Arena, Court 1, Liverpool, England
Date: Monday 15th July 2019
When: 12am (AEST)
TV: Channel 9
Australia Diamonds
Caitlin Bassett (c), April Brandley, Kelsey Browne, Courtney Bruce, Paige Hadley, Sarah Klau, Jamie-Lee Price, Caitlin Thwaites, Gretel Tippett, Liz Watson, Jo Weston, Steph Wood
Sri Lanka
Chathurangi Jayasooriya, Deepika Abeykoon, Dharshika Abeywickrema, Dulanga Ambeygoda, Dulangi Wannithileka, Elilenthinie Sethukavalar, Gayani Dissanayake, Gayanjali Amarawansa, Hasitha Mendis, Nauchalee Rajapakse, Tharjini Sivalingam, Thilini Waththegedera
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks Oliver...
Oliver Matthews
Expert
FINAL WHISTLE Australia: 99 Sri Lanka: 24 The Australian Diamonds have destroyed Sri Lanka by over 70 points in their final Preliminary Round match. The Sri Lankans had a good 2nd and 3rd quarter and looked like they might be on course for achieving their own team target of scoring 30 goals. But in the final quarter, the Diamonds were ruthless and as the Lankans tired, the Aussies just kept up the brutal pace. The only thing that stopped the Aussies from breaking the 100 mark was the Lankans deciding to just keep possession in the final minute instead of actually trying to score. The Aussies will be happy that these starters got a full match and looked so sharp. They know that they will face much harder challenges in the tournament but they played well today and you couldn't really ask for much more. The games should get harder this week as the tournament moves into its second phase and it'll be exciting to see how the Diamonds grow into the competition.
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Oh that's so close!! They score another goal just on the final whistle! Australia: 99 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 00:01
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Aussies finally get the ball and have 17 seconds to score two points! Australia: 98 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 00:17
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Sri Lanka playing the ball around but not making any progress forwards at all. They are frustrating the Diamonds and seem desperate to stop the Aussies from making the 100 mark. Australia: 98 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 00:38
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Sri Lankan defence is really tiring and the Aussies are finding it easy to get to the net and score. Australia: 98 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 01:58
Oliver Matthews
Expert
5 more goals needed for the ton! Australia: 95 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 02:58
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Lankans are having to pass the ball all the way back to their own defensive third as the Diamonds close off any option to move the ball up court. Australia: 94 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 03:48
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Just 5 minutes left in the match and the Lankans are really struggling. Australia: 94 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 04:38
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Diamonds are just 8 points from the century. Thwaites is 59 from 60. Australia: 92 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 05:38
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Lankan keeper has been given a caution for persistent obstruction. So hard though when your opposition are so quick and lethal - you have to try anything! Australia: 90 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 06:18
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Good passage of play here from the Diamonds - keeping the Lankans scoreless for a while. Incredible take from Watson - she takes the ball on the run as she leaps through the air and then passes almost before landing and creates the scoring chance. Australia: 88 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 07:38
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Sri Lanka with the ball and passing well but Sivalingam is just not moving to give her team mates any options. When they do pass to her she isn't mobile enough to take the pass unless it's right to her. Australia: 86 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 08:38
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Thwaites is so good at using her full range of motion - she's taking passes near the front edge of the circle but then pivoting on her fixed foot and able to turn it into a shot under the net. Australia: 84 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 09:51
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Kelsey Browne continuing to run hard every second of the match - she intercepts the ball there and then sprints hard to keep the ball in play and tap it to her team mate. Australia: 82 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 11:11
Oliver Matthews
Expert
When the Lankans do find some space they just aren't quick enough to really make it count which is making it so hard for them to get good clean passes into their S and GA. Australia: 80 Sri Lanka: 24 Quarter: 4 Time: 11:55
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Good work from April Brandley in defence as the Diamonds steal another ball back and seconds later Thwaites scores another. Australia: 78 Sri Lanka: 23 Quarter: 4 Time: 12:55
Oliver Matthews
Expert
4th QUARTER TIP OFF No changes from the Diamonds - the starting line up will see out the game. So 15 minutes to go - where can both sides get to? Another quick goal from the Diamonds and they are 24 from the century - surely they can't get there? Australia: 76 Sri Lanka: 23 Quarter: 4 Time: 14:10
Oliver Matthews
Expert
END OF 3rd QUARTER Another good quarter from the Diamonds as they keep up the pace. The Sri Lankans were a bit slow to get going after half time but ended up finishing well. They are just 8 goals from their own team target of 30. Australia: 75 Sri Lanka: 22 Quarter: 3 Time: 00:00
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Lovely shooting from Thwaites again and again - the defence just can't get anywhere near her. Australia: 75 Sri Lanka: 22 Quarter: 3 Time: 00:10