The Diamonds head into their third and final pool game against Sri Lanka
at the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore today, with
reactions mixed about the team's performance against Northern Ireland,
despite the commanding 75 - 33 scoreline.
Natalie Medhurst conceded that the game was a timely wake up call for
the Diamonds.
"We certainly didn't put out a fantastic performance - there were a lot
of balls turned over and our intensity wasn't up to scratch so we need
to address that pretty quickly and make sure that we come out all guns
blazing tomorrow.
"We are working towards something pretty big; we've got a really big
goal that we want to achieve and we need to make sure that we are
putting out good netball otherwise it might not fall into place for us
when we get into finals against these top teams."
While the players might have been hard on themselves, coach Norma
Plummer seemed more relaxed about the Diamonds' performance.
"You've got to look at Ireland and give them credit - they bodied up on
occasion and that caused a bit of a problem.
"I thought they [the Diamonds] really built on it in the end and got
some really nice movement going. That's actually our game; that type of
movement at the end when they really opened up.
"I thought Nat Medhurst played a beautiful game once she started moving
out of the circle - I think she started creating it all for us."
Sri Lanka, the Diamonds opponent in their final pool match tonight, is
also something of an unknown quantity although everyone seems well aware
of goal shooter and co-captain Tharjini Sivalingam, who stands at a
towering 206cm, far and away the tallest player the Championship.
The Diamonds' tallest player Susan Fuhrmann, spent last night's game on
the bench but for once Plummer was prepared to lay her cards on the
table.
"Fuhrms didn't make an appearance tonight but you can expect her to be
eyeballing Sivalingam night."
The Australian Diamonds will conclude the round robin phase of the 2011
World Netball Championships against Sri Lanka on Wednesday night at the
Singapore Indoor Stadium at 10.00pm (AEST).
2011 World Netball Championships, Singapore Indoor Sports Centre,
Singapore
4 July Australian Diamonds (81) defeated Samoa (23)
5 July Australian Diamonds (75) defeated Northern Ireland (33)
6 July Australian Diamonds v Sri Lanka 8:00pm
8 July Quarter-Finals TBC
9 July Semi-Finals TBC
10 July Final TBC
