Jhaniele Fowler led the way as Jamaica defeated Australia in a stunning 57-55 rout, pipping the top netball team to top their Commonwealth Games pool.
Six goals down heading into the final quarter, the Sunshine Girls came back in front of a raucous crowd at Arena Birmingham. Fowler, a four-time Super Netball MVP with West Coast Fever in Australia, proved unstoppable, kicking 47 goals from 50 attempts.
Australia’s twin attack of Gretel Bueta (36 off 39) and Steph Wood (19 off 22) did their best to get Australia home, but costly turnovers eventually led the Diamonds to an unexpected defeat.
The pre-tournament favorites to win the gold medal will now face the winner of Thursday’s final preliminary match between England and New Zealand in a blockbuster semi-final. Jamaica will face the losing side, with the winners of both matches progressing to the gold medal match.
“It’s surreal, we haven’t beaten Australia in a Commonwealth Games and to come here and do it with an amazing team, you’ve just got to go out there and prove everyone very wrong,” Fowler said afterwards.
“Australia is No. 1 and if we beat the No. 1 team, that means we can do anything,” he added. “We want to come home with a gold or silver medal, but we’re going for the gold, that’s always been our goal.”
Steph Wood reacts as Jamaica create another scoring opportunity. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
“We probably let ourselves down with some execution stuff this last quarter,” Diamonds center Kate Moloney said. “Up to three-quarter-time, six more goals, credit to Jamaica, but we probably should have been able to run it. [But] when they have guns like them… you never have them.”
Jamaica’s game plan was evident from the start, get the ball to Fowler early and often. It turned center third into a battleground as players hit the deck on numerous occasions. Jamaica jumped out to a 7-3 lead but Australia battled back, Bueta matching Fowler’s 10 goals in the first quarter while taking a one-goal lead into the first break.
Australia began to dominate in the second quarter when they opened up a 27-23 lead, but to the delight of the crowd, Jamaica stormed home to pull within one at the long break. The third quarter was all Australia as they jumped out to a six-goal lead before Jamaica’s final surge.