Australia has accomplished a massively profitable 2023 marketing campaign by sweeping South Africa of their three-match netball collection with a 77-50 win over the Proteas in Hobart.
Key factors:
- The collection in opposition to South Africa got here after the Diamonds retained the Constellation Cup in opposition to New Zealand
- The third recreation marked the largest margin of the three-Take a look at collection
- Australia received 16 of 19 Checks in 2023, together with the Quad Sequence and World Cup titles
Sparked by skipper Liz Watson, the Diamonds registered the largest victory margin within the collection after clinching the opening matches 62-43 and 67-52 respectively.
Australia completed the yr with 16 victories from 19 Checks, having received the Quad Sequence, World Cup and the Constellation Cup previous to taking part in the Proteas.
“It has been an superior collection, an superior month and I believe simply an superior yr for this group,” Watson stated.
The groups break up the primary 4 targets however Australia dominated the remainder of the primary half, main 22-11 and 42-22 on the breaks.
Wing assault Watson was clearly the very best participant on courtroom and ceaselessly sliced by means of the Proteas, racking up match highs of 44 feeds and 31 objective assists.
Coach Stacey Marinkovich launched all 5 bench gamers into the sport firstly of the second half.
The rejigged line-up took time to click on and South Africa lifted its depth, however nonetheless misplaced the third quarter by one objective.
The resurgent Proteas notched 5 successive targets to scale back the deficit to 17, however Australia surged to the end line.
Donnell Wallam (26/30) took benefit of her first begin of the collection and along with Cara Koenen (16/16) capitalised on Watson’s fast and slick feeding to the circle.
Koenen shot 100 per cent for the second recreation working, however she and Wallam made means at halftime with Sophie Garbin (28/30) and Sophie Dwyer (7/9) retaining the scoreboard ticking over.
“I am actually pleased with the best way we completed what has been a large yr for us, [but] there’s all the time issues to enhance,” Marinkovich stated after Australia’s forty sixth win in as many Checks in opposition to South Africa.
“We have been challenged this yr, we have been challenged in Con Cup and there is totally different ways in which groups run with us, so we have to maintain elevating the bar and discovering new methods to be progressive in what we do.”
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AAP
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