By James Bennett
Hello and welcome to Hamilton for tonight's final quad series netball clash against Australia.
Tonight is a chance for redemption for a Silver Ferns side who have been smarting since their last outing against the Diamonds.
While a quad series victory seems very unlikely, tonight serves as a platform for the Ferns to regain a mental edge over an Aussie side brimming with confidence.
We’ll bring you video live updates throughout the match, including video highlights of all the big plays and crucial goals.
Make sure you refresh your page occasionally. We’ll add VIDEO COMING SOON when we’re cutting the highlights and VIDEO UP when it’s ready to be viewed.
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LIVE COMMENTARY: Silver Ferns 48 – 43 Australia Diamonds
SILVER FERNS WIN 48-43 BUT AUSTRALIA WILL TAKE THE QUAD SERIES.
1:00 - Tutaia has really found her range from outside in this quarter. Great shooting, it's going to be a victorious end to the netball season for the Silver Ferns.
3:07 - The crowd beat their thunder sticks and you can't see the Ferns losing this one. TURNOVER! Held ball and the lead is still five. De Bruin with the defensive pressure there.
4:50 - Defensive circle doing some great work, Williams and De Bruin, combining well. Again in the attacking third Tutaia is flawless from out wide, great shot. The lead is at five.
6:20 - Aus not out of it they nail a goal but simply can't break the Ferns down at the other end. They give Tutaia a wide look and she takes it with both arms, super shooting.
7:30 - It's getting physical out there! Defensive pressure is huge at both ends at the moment. Ferns lead by seven at present. Finger nails getting a going over on the bench.
10:00 - Diamonds with the last two, but the Kiwis are in control so far. Basset scores another and cut the lead to four. Hold the phone, grab it, hold it, the phone. Maria Tutaia finds the phone and the hoop.
12:00 - Aussie making it tough for the midcourt to feed the shooters. But they are managing to sneak it in and convert. The lead blows out to eight.
14:00 - NZ nail the first of the final quarter and then get the turnover at the defensive end. Diamonds have to chase this game a little now, it could be make or break.
Fourth Quarter
END OF THIRD QUARTER SILVER FERNS 36- 32 DIAMONDS
0:49 - Super tight defence from the Diamonds they force he turnover, I think it was held ball. Diamonds manage to pull a couple back and have the centre pass with seconds remaining but Williams is there and glides in to grab the intercept. It's a quick transfer and Van Dyk nails the goal with time up!
2:10 - Tit for tat goals, classic trans Tasman netball. It's still five goals the difference, NZ have done well to keep them at arms length.
3:30 - NZ disrupting the Aussie shooting circle well in this quarter, they've got under the skin of the Diamonds pairing.
4:50 - Aww Aussie miss the first crack at goal after the break and De Bruin swoops in her 100th match. Down the other end and Tutaia is in fine form from the edge. Four goals in it, make it five another cracker from Maria.
5:00 - About five mins left in this one as we head to a timeout. The coaches offer plenty of encouragement to their charges. "Let's get them" from Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander.
7:00 - Here they come! Diamonds strike back with a couple of their own, closing the gap to three goals.
9:00 - Four goal up are the Ferns at this stage. The midcourt working well, shooters nailing everything that moves (the ball in the hoop) at this stage.
12:00 - Crowd really getting in behind the Ferns, they nail a goal through Van Dyk. Continue to keep a little lead.
14:00 - NZ start off the second half like the finish the last but rest assured the Diamonds won't be down for long.
HALFTIME SILVER FERNS 25 - 23 DIAMONDS. A super end to the quarter and the Ferns go to the break in the lead.
1:11 - Things going the Ferns way at the moment. They won't want to have a halftime! Cox pulls one back, it's a two goal difference.
3:15 - Ebb and flow in this one, not much seperate the two sides as we head toward the break. Both have had their moments. Van Dyk slots a goal and NZ take a cheeky two goal lead.
5:30 - 19-19 With about five minutes left in the half. De Bruin with some lovely defending grabs the intercept. NZ look to make it count. Maria Tutaia does just that.
7:00 - Aww the Ferns start to look slick again a lovely move puts Van Dyk in great position, but she bombs the attempt from right under the hoop! Blowout. Aussie take a one goal lead. But it's 'on centre pass' at present.
9:00 - Aussie take a timeout and slow it down a bit. Ferns regroup and from the restart nail the equalizer. It's all tied up here in Hamilton, super comeback from the home side.
10:00 - Ferns in possession and three behind, make that two as Van Dyk slots one from under the hoop. Here come the Ferns, a mini momentum shift as Williams does the biz in the defensive end. Bang! Goal from the Ferns and they are back in business.
11:18 - Last three goals go the way of the home side and the crowd roar their approval.
12:20 - Cox misses a regulation shot and Williams is there to snatch the rebound. The Ferns have a few to peg back here, there's one, more to come.
14:30 - Aus get the first piece of the second quarter, simply playing smart, better netball at the moment.
Second Quarter
END OF FIRST QUARTER - SILVER FERNS 9 - 13 AUSTRALIA
20 secs - Turnover! And Aussie have another chance, nail it! Strong finish.
1:15 - And another for the Diamonds, they are finishing strongly here...NZ have missed several chances in this quarter will they come to regret them? A cheeky contact call against Cox and the Ferns have a chance to pull one back.
2:20 - A couple on the trot from Aussie and they open up a two goal lead. NZ hit back with one from Irene. Bu tthe centre pass is the Diamonds and they convert through Pratley.
4:30 - Lovely one-two between the NZ shooters and Tutaia slots the goal. But can't back it up with her next attempt from deep in the circle. We've come used to her nailing the long range efforts. NZ defence working overtime but Cath Cox is a pro telling her shooting partner to have patience, she does and the goal counts.
6:00 - A bit of a tussle in the midcourt tonight, Langman going hammer and tongs out there. NZ have a mini run of two goals but this game certainly hasn't settled yet.
7:40 - Aussie hit straight back through Pratley, two on the trot from them and it's all square once more.
9:53 - NZ hit the lead for the first time and then Williams earns the ball back with a sprawling steal. Irene does the biz in the circle and it's a two goal lead now. Early doors though.
11:50 - Great work De Bruin, snaffles an intercept...It's all locked up at three a piece. Langman struggling to feed the circle and Aussie are away with it. Goals not falling for the Ferns early in this one but the defensive end is keeping them in touch with some great work.
13:20 - Aussie have an other crack and miss before Van Dyk rights the wrongs of before and lands her first. The diamonds are swift in reply with two of their own. Fast paced start to proceedings.
14:50 - NZ get the ball into the circle but miss their first shot. Then it's Aussies turn and they make no mistake.
1st Quarter
8:26pm - The ball is on court we are go in the last match of the quad series.
8:22pm - Anthem's now, Aussie just been, now it's God Defend New Zealand. Stirring stuff.
8:03pm - Players going through their last minute warm ups now. Shouldn't be too long before anthems and then game time!
While you wait for the start, watch Ashlee Tulloch’s pre match report.
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Teams:
Silver Ferns: Casey Williams (captain), Jodi Brown, Kayla Cullen, Leana de Bruin, Katrina Grant, Anna Harrison, Laura Langman, Cathrine Latu, Camilla Lees, Bailey Mes, Maria Tutaia, Irene van Dyk.
Australian Diamonds: Natalie von Bertouch (captain), Caitlin Bassett, Erin Bell, Madison Browne, Rebecca Bulley, Bianca Chatfield, Catherine Cox, Renae Hallinan, Mo’onia Gerrard, Chanel Gomes, Chelsea Pitman, Susan Pratley.
Pregame banter:
Although a quad series victory seems unlikely, the Silver Ferns are out to restore some pride when they take on the Australian Diamonds tonight in Hamilton.
Swamped 68-48 when the two teams met 10 days ago in Sydney, the New Zealanders are looking for a little redemption in the last match of this year's international schedule at Claudelands Arena.
Van Dyk can't wait. At 40 years old, the 1.90m shooter has amassed 200-plus caps for New Zealand and South Africa, but there's no sign her love of the battle is lessening.
She says it's the strength and versatility of the Australian defence that makes it so intimidating - not to mention sheer unrelenting bloody-mindedness.
"They are tight man-on, they don't give an inch, regardless of who they put out there," van Dyk told NZ Newswire.
Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander has an impressive array of options available to her in the defensive circle - she can mix and match a range of youth and experience in Bianca Chatfield, Bec Bulley, Mo'onia Gerrard or Chanel Gomes to battle the accuracy of van Dyk and Maria Tutaia.
"The strongest combination, we think, would be Chatfield and Bulley, but if they want to toughen us up, they could bring Gerrard on at goal defence just to let Ria feel a bit of body," van Dyk said.
"They are nuggetty, they go for the full 60 minutes and they wear you down."
Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu has been working on combating that intense defensive pressure by crowding the court with extra players in training.
"That's why Wai is overloading us, having people hanging onto us, to try and emulate what happens in a game," van Dyk said.
"They were holding onto us, just getting the body ready for that physicality and someone on you the whole time - it messes with your timing."
Van Dyk, who sat out the first quarter against Australia in Sydney, says the memory of that match provides all the motivation the Silver Ferns need on Thursday.
"This is our last international game for the year, and we desperately want to end up on a high to rectify what we've done. We have to have a blinder."
3 News/NZN