The Origin Australian Diamonds have booked their ticket to the Netball World Cup big dance with a 57-54 win over an unbeaten Jamaica in a semi final epic.
Australia will go on to face England in the gold medal match, while the Sunshine Girls will battle it out for bronze with New Zealand.
Jamaica were yet to drop a game before the Diamonds put an end to their winning streak at Cape Town International Convention Centre.
In the dying moments it was Courtney Bruce who stood up, while the cool heads of Diamonds leaders Steph Wood and Liz Watson helped cement the win at the other end.
Nothing but grit, determination and a never say die approach got the Aussie cohort through when the match was on the line.
The Diamonds have won through to the gold medal game against England.The Diamonds edged the lead out to three with just a couple of minutes left to play, and never looked like giving an edge to their Jamaican counterparts.
Watson had a standout game with 50 feeds while Bruce finished with four gains and two intercepts, and was instrumental in shutting down Jhaniele Fowler late in the fourth.
Aussie duo Cara Koenen and Steph Wood shared the load under the post. Wood shooting 29 at 91 per cent and Koenen put away 28 at 93 precent.
The game started as anticipated – at a frenetic pace. Neither team willing to give an inch, both sides were in for a grind.
The Jamaican defensive trio of Shamera Sterling, Jodi-Ann Ward and Latanya Wilson forced the Australian attackers to work overtime for every ball. There was no easy entry into the circle.
But Wood was calm under the pressure, sinking mid-range shots when needed.
The Diamonds handed Jamaica their first loss of the tournament.The Diamonds were able to stretch the lead to three at one stage in the second quarter but the Jamaican’s pegged it back after a Shamera Sterling intercept punished the Aussies on the scoreboard.
Diamonds skipper Watson shot out of the blocks and had amassed 22 feeds to half time.
There was nothing in it at the main break with, with the scoreboard sitting at 29 apiece.
Bruce really injected herself into the game in the third term and had a number of small wins in a row to help the Diamonds out to a six goal lead but two gains from Sterling at the other end and things were back to level pegging.
Jamie-Lee Price entered the match at centre and did well to absorb the physical pressure the Sunshine Girls were delivering.
Sunday Aryang also got her first minutes at wing defence late in the third. She added height, and hands over, in the midcourt which helped force the Sunshine Girls to send a rogue ball over the baseline.
The Diamonds were able to get a slight edge over the Jamaicans to take a 42-40 advantage into the final change.
Jamie-Lee Price absorbed the pressure well.But a Sterling gain got the Jamaicans one break up early in that term before Bruce unleashed taking a clutch intercept with five minutes to go.
The Diamonds edged the lead out to three and ran down the clock to take out an emphatic win against their Jamaican rivals.
Bruce earned her third match MVP award for the tournament for her stellar performance.
A date with England in the gold medal match awaits the Australian team, ready to take learnings from their pool loss to the Roses into the final on Sunday.
The gold medal match between Australia and England will be played from 2am AEST Monday and can be watched live and free on Kayo Freebies.
