Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Recap

Below is the blog completed live during the Birmingham 2022 (B2022) Commonweatlh Games (CWG). Re-live every match with us by reading through the match reports day by day.

Day 10

JAMAICA 51 – 55 AUSTRALIA

Final

There was a great noise in the arena as Jamaica, taking part in their first Commonwealth Games Final, faced Australia, taking part in their 7th consecutive Final for the Gold medal.

Jo Weston got the first deflection of the match which allowed the Australian Diamonds to take an early 3 – 1 lead, but the Sunshine Girls responded immediately through Latanya Wilson with the score 4 – 4 after the first 5 minutes. 

Courtney Bruce then took a great interception as Jamaica attempted a long distance feed into Fowler with Australia taking an 8 – 5 lead. Liz Watson made a great start to the match at wing attack providing 6 goal assists, 8 centre pass receives, as well as making 1 gain in the first 15 minutes.

Jamaica had a strong final few minutes to the quarter with Latanya Wilson making 5 deflections and 1 gain. After the first 15 minutes it was the Australian Diamonds in the lead with the score 14 – 12. 

Jamaica had the momentum going into the second quarter with Shamera Sterling making an immediate deflection which was picked up by Wilson to draw Jamaica level. A rare missed shot 5 minutes into the quarter gave Jamaica the lead for the first time in the match 

Australia made a change to both circles bringing on Sarah Klau at goal keeper and Cara Koenen at goal shooter, with Bruce moving to goal defence and Bueta goal attack and the changes immediately made an impact with Klau securing an interception and Bueta finding more space. 

At half-time there was nothing to seperate the sides with the score 29 – 29. 

Australia started the second half well with goal keeper Klau making an early deflection as her side went into a 5-goal lead. Bruce then got another deflection with Australia getting their hands on any loose balls with 12 pickups in comparison to Jamaica’s 8.

Australia had extended their lead to 10 goals, however Jamaica fought back at the end of the quarter to make the score Jamaica 39 – 45 Australia. 

Jamaica had an early opportunity to close the gap further, however a footwork call against Beckford allowed Australia to regain the ball and score off the first centre pass of the quarter.

Australia then played a stray ball with Shamera Sterling picking up the loose ball with the Sunshine Girls reducing the gap to 4 goals. Shamera Sterling then claimed another deflection the gap just 3 goals. However, Australia showed their class as they fought back again to restore a 7-goal advantage with just 4 minutes left on the clock.

The match ended Jamaica 51 – 55 Australia meaning Australia claim their 4th Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games whilst Jamaica claim their 1st Silver medal. 

NEW ZEALAND 55 – 48 ENGLAND 

Bronze Medal Match

This match was the eighth meeting between New Zealand and England at the Commonwealth Games with New Zealand winning five and England two. However, England’s two wins were the two most recent matches.

The start of the match was going goal-for-goal with Kelly Jury and Layla Guscoth both getting deflections but unable to claim the ball before it went off the court. England were patient in their build-up play, often playing the ball back to their defence to reset in attack, whilst New Zealand goal shooter was holding her space well scoring 12/12 in the first quarter.  

A stray England pass gave New Zealand the first turnover of the match as they took an 11-9 lead, but a contact call against Grace Nweke allowed England to draw level. At the first quarter break, there was just one goal separating the sides with the score New Zealand 14 – 13 England. 

The second quarter also went goal-for-goal in the early stages, however a missed Helen Housby shot allowed New Zealand to extend their lead to four goals, before a misplaced England feed gave New Zealand a 6-goal lead. 

England brought on Stacey Francis-Bayman to try and change the momentum, however the Roses were unable to capitalise on chances when they came. Silver Ferns captain, Gina Crampton, was having a strong influence on this game creating space in attack and hitting the circle edge consistently. At half-time she had already provided 13 goal assists and also claimed 3 pick ups. 

At half-time, New Zealand led 29 – 23 with plenty of work for the England Roses to do. 

England made changes to their side for the second half with Laura Malcolm moving to centre and Imogen Allison coming on at wing defence, however other than a missed shot from Nweke, they struggled to stop the Silver Ferns attack. At the third quarter break New Zealand were in the lead 41 – 35.

New Zealand started the final quarter well extending their lead to nine at the start of the quarter. With 10 minutes to go, Geva Mentor got a deflection which Stacey Francis-Bayman collected with England reducing the deficit to 6. The crowd were roaring the England side on, but Nweke was looking composed and collected under the post, finishing the match with 92% shooting accuracy.

With 5 minutes left, Geva Mentor got another interception with England closing the gap to 4 goals. Pheonix Kakara settled the nerves for New Zealand as she intercepted a Metcalf feed, and New Zealand went on to secure the Bronze Medal with a 55 – 48 win.

This gives New Zealand their first Bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games to alongside their two Gold medals (2006 & 2010) and three Silver medals (1998, 2002 & 2014). 

Day 9

ENGLAND 51 – 60 AUSTRALIA

The second semi-final saw defending champions England take on the current world number 1 ranked team Australia. Australia took an early 2-0 lead as Jade Clarke was called for offside, however, England then took a 3-2 lead with Liz Watson breaking at a centre pass. 

Jo Weston then got a deflection on a feed into Jo Harten to give Australia a 2-goal lead, before Courtney Bruce capitalised on a stray England pass to extend Australia’s lead to 4. In the final couple of minutes, Geva Mentor’s pressure forced a ball off the backline with Australia leading by 3 after the first 15 minutes.

Australia started the second quarter well with Courtney Bruce getting an interception off the first England centre pass. England were struggling to get the ball through the centre third with Ashleigh Brazill, Kate Moloney and Jo Weston giving England no space and consequently England being penalised for 3 held balls. 

The Diamonds looked fluid in attack with Wood and Bueta showing great movement to work the ball under the post. At half-time Australia had built a 6-goal lead. 

England forced an Australian held ball immediately in the second half to reduce the deficit to 4 goals. However, another England stray pass gave Courtney Bruce a second deflection with the Australians extending their lead to 8. The Australian goal shooter, Gretel Bueta was putting on a shooting masterclass converting 32 from 33. At the end of the third quarter Australia led 45 – 36.

England knew they had to throw everything at the final 15 minutes, and they managed to close the gap to 6 goals with 10 minutes still left on the clock. The atmosphere was electric as the crowd could sense an England comeback.

England continued to make changes to their side in an attempt to disrupt the Australian attack, however Watson and Bueta continued to combine effectively with Watson providing 28 goal assists during the match and Bueta shooting at 98%. 

Australia looked in control throughout with the final score England 51 – 60 Australia, meaning the Final will see Australia face Jamaica, whilst England will face New Zealand in the Bronze Medal Match. 

To view all the results from the Games, click here. 

For updates throughout matches, make sure you are following World Netball on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

JAMAICA 67 – 51 NEW ZEALAND

Semi-Final

The first semi-final saw unbeaten Jamaica take on the Silver Ferns who have lost just once in their final match of the pool against England. 

New Zealand showed some early nerves as a missed Maia Wilson shot, allowed Jamaica to take an early 4 – 1 lead. Both teams were seeing early success in defence, with Kate Heffernan at wing defence for New Zealand making a great interception before Shamera Sterling got two interceptions in a row to give Jamaica a 10 – 4 lead. 

Jhaniele Fowler had settled well for Jamaica with the New Zealand circle defence struggling to deal with her height. Fowler netted 12 from 12 in the first quarter with the score Jamaica 18 – 9 New Zealand. 

The start of the second quarter went goal-for-goal for the first 5 minutes with neither side able to make any interceptions. However, in the sixth minute, World Netball Ambassador Shamera Sterling, left her shooter in the circle and made a remarkable flying interception to give her side a 12-goal lead. 

New Zealand brought on Kelly Jury at goal keeper to try and stop the flow of goals, but this didn’t impact the Sunshine Girls as Beckford and Fowler looked unstoppable and were yet to miss a shot. Jamaica continued to widen the gap with Jodi-Ann Ward securing another interception for her side, making the half-time score Jamaica 36 – 22 New Zealand.

New Zealand came out firing in the second half and they did create early opportunities to close the gap, however, they were finding it extremely tough to break through the tight man-on-man Jamaica defence to get into positions to feed shooters Wilson and Nweke.

Whilst the third quarter was stronger for New Zealand they were unable to reduce the deficit incurred from the first half, with Jamaica extending their lead by three goals. After 45 minutes Jamaica looked firm favourites for a place in the final with the score 52 – 35. 

Jamaica were playing with so much confidence throughout the court with Shamera Sterling finishing the match with 6 gains and 3 intercepts, Nicole Dixon-Rochester with 20 goal assists, 3 interceptions and 2 deflections, and both Fowler and Beckford shooting at 100% throughout the whole match.

It was a dominant display from the Sunshine Girls with the final score Jamaica 67 – 51 New Zealand meaning Jamaica make the Final of the Commonwealth Games for the first time. 

New Zealand will compete in the Bronze Medal Match at 13:30pm (GMT) on Sunday 7th August. 

Day 8

SOUTH AFRICA 48 – 54 UGANDA

5th/6th Classification Match

The last match of day 8 saw South Africa, ranked 5th in the world rankings, face Uganda, ranked 6th.

South Africa started the better out of the two sides taking an early 5 – 1 lead. The match then went goal-for-goal with both sides converting from their centre pass. However, a contact call against Elmere van der Berg gave Uganda the lead, and then a flying interception from Nambirige resulted in Uganda scoring six goals in a row. At the first quarter break it was Uganda with the lead, with the score 15 – 13. 

Uganda had the momentum in the second quarter scoring the first two goals, however a rare miss from Cholhok allowed South Africa to get on the scoreboard for the quarter. The She Cranes centre, Jesca Achan, then made a great interception from a South Africa centre pass with Uganda extending their lead to 9-goals. At the half-time break Uganda led 30 – 21. 

South Africa came out fighting at the start of the third quarter, with their attack looking much more fluid. Ine-Marie Venter and Lefebre Rademan were working well together in the shooting circle, providing more movement than in the first half. A last second goal from the SPAR Proteas sparked a roar from the arena as Uganda went into the third quarter break leading by just 4. 

It was set up to be a thrilling finish and it was a battle out there with all players fighting for every ball. An offside call against the South Africa centre, Chawane, allowed Uganda to take a 6-goal lead with 7 minutes left on the clock.

Uganda ran down the clock with patient play for the final 2 minutes with the full-time score South Africa 48 – 54 Uganda, meaning Uganda finish in 5th place whilst South Africa finish in 6th. 

WALES 56 – 62 MALAWI

7th/8th Classification Match

Both teams came into this match having won two matches in their respective pools.

The Wales shooters were combining nicely in the opening stages with Betsy Creak finding her shooting partner Georgia Rowe on numerous occasions. Georgia Rowe was holding her space well and shooting accurately (92% in the first quarter).

Malawi started to claw themselves back into the contest in the last five minutes of the quarter. In the middle of the court Malawi’s Takondwa Lwazi was always an option and regularly hit the circle edge to feed the shooters (8 goal assists). At the first quarter break Wales led 17 – 13. 

Malawi started the second quarter at a fast pace as they drew level in the first five minutes of the quarter. The Malawi Queens goal keeper, Towera Vinkhumbo, was influential in changing the momentum for her team with 4 gains and 3 pickups in the first half as she got to grips with goal shooter Georgia Rowe. At half-time Malawi had turned this game on its head and led 30 – 28. 

A great interception from Malawi goal defence and captain Caroline Mtukule gave her side a 5-goal lead at the start of the third quarter. The Malawi shooters were also rising to the challenge missing just 1 goal during the first 45 minutes. After three quarters Malawi led 48 – 41. 

Malawi were penalised at the start of the fourth quarter for delaying the start of play, which immediately allowed Wales to close the gap on Malawi. With four minutes left on the clock Christina Shaw intercepted the ball for Wales which was taken to goal and the defecit reduced to just 3 goals. The atmosphere began to increase inside the Resorts World Arena as it looked like a comeback could be happening, however Malawi held on to win 62 – 56 and finish in 7th place. 

Wales finish 8th. 

SCOTLAND 43 – 33 NORTHERN IRELAND

9th/10th Classification Match

It was a battle of the home nations for 9th and 10th place as Scotland took on Northern Ireland, with one both sides having won one match in the competition. 

The match had a scrappy start with Scotland missing their first two shots but Northern Ireland giving the ball straight back to them as it took two minutes for Scotland to score the first goal. The Northern Ireland Warriors captain, Caroline O’Hanlon, seemed to be receiving every other ball through the court, however the Scottish Thistles finished the quarter strong, with World Netball Voice of the Athlete Working Group athlete Emily Nicholl claiming two gains. At the first quarter break, there was nothing to seperate the sides with the score 10 – 10. 

Scotland nudged themselves infront by two goals at the halfway point of the quarter, with the Thistles capitalising after a Northern Ireland held ball. The Thistles were crowing in confidence as the quarter went on, with much more patient and precise play in attack, and the shooters looked like they had got their eye in as they converted their chances. Scotland had created a gap at half-time with the score 22 – 16. 

The Warriors came out firing in the second half taking a 4 – 1 quarter score lead, and reducing the deficit to just three goals. Michelle Magee, switched to goal defence for Northern Ireland and the change seemed to be working as she took two interceptions in the first seven minutes. Just like the second quarter, Scotland finished the quarter strong, with Niamh McCall playing a back line pass off the post and converting. With 15 minutes to go it was still all to play for with the score Scotland 32 – 25 Northern Ireland.

Scotland took control again in the final 15 minutes, with Emily Nicholl having an outstanding game at goal defence ending the match with four gains, two interceptions and five deflections. Scotland took the victory with the final score 43 – 33, meaning that they end the competition in 9th place and Northern Ireland finish in 10th. 

BARBADOS 31 – 63 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

11th/12th Classification Match

The first match of day 8 saw Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago battling it out for 11th and 12th place with both teams entering the match without a win.

It was Trinidad & Tobago that started the first quarter well with their wing defence, Jeresia McEachrane, impacting the game with two early deflections. Her defensive partner, Aniecia Baptiste at goal defence, was also shining as she got 2 gains and 5 deflections in the quarter as Trinidad & Tobago raced into a 17 – 5 lead at the first quarter break. 

The second quarter followed a similar pattern to that of the first, with the Barbados defence slightly mistiming their interceptions with 21 contact calls in the first 20 minutes of the match in comparison to Trinidad & Tobago’s 9. 

The Bajan Gems did improve their goal scoring in the second quarter, scoring over double the number of goals in comparison to the first 15 minutes, with goal attack Latonia Blackman playing an influential role in the end third, shooting at 100% and providing four assists. At the half-time break, Trinidad & Tobago led 35 – 16. 

Trinidad & Tobago continued to build on their lead in the second half as they looked in control in both circles. Shaquanda Greene-Noel looked in fine form yet again at goal keeper with 11 gains for her team in the first 45 minutes, whilst in attack, Joelisa Cooper was outstanding with 13 goal assists and 20 goals. At the third quarter break, Trindad & Tobago looked like they had one hand on 11th place with the score 49 – 23. 

The Trinidad & Tobago Calypso Girls remained with the same starting 7 throughout the match and they were showing no signs of complacency creating nearly double the attempts on goal in comparison to Barbados during the match, which led them to a comprehensive 32-goal victory. The final score was Barbados 31 – 63 Trinidad & Tobago giving the Calypso Girls their first victory of the competition, meaning they finish in 11th place.

The Bajan Gems finish in 12th. 

Day 7

NEW ZEALAND 44 – 54 ENGLAND

The final match of day 7 saw the two teams at the top of Pool B come head-to-head. The match had a frantic start, but it was England that took an early lead with Geva Mentor and Layla Guscoth timing their jump on the New Zealand shot perfectly. 

With five minutes left in the first quarter Helen Housby got a great interception, to give England a six goal lead, however New Zealand fought back immedatiely with wing defence Kayla Johnson making an interception from an England centre pass. England finished the quarter with a flurry of goals to go into the first quarter break leading 15 – 8.

New Zealand made a change in their shooting cirlce at the break bringing on Te Paea Selby-Rickit, it seemed to make an instant impact, with the Silver Ferns leading the quarter 7 – 3 after the first six minutes. New Zealand were on the charge and reduced the deficit to just one goal with the score New Zealand 24 – 25 England. 

England changed their shooting quarter for the third quarter with Jo Harten coming on at goal shooter, and just like the New Zealand switch in the second quarter it seemed to infuence the match with England regaining their advantage. At the third quarter break England led 39 – 33. 

New Zealand came out firing in the final 15 minutes, and took an early 3-0 lead in the quarter. Helen Housby seems to thrive off competing under pressure, keeping her cool and netting 24 goals, missing just 2 shots. Imogen Allison, who was introduced for the final quarter, then made a flying interception and fed the ball to Cardwell to give England an 8-goal lead. The Roses complete the preliminary stages top of Pool B, with the final score New Zealand 44 – 54 England.

New Zealand finish 2nd and will face Jamaica on Saturday morning, whilst England will face Australia on Saturday afternoon. 

SOUTH AFRICA 65 – 46 SCOTLAND

Scotland got off to a great start against South Africa taking an early 4 – 1 lead. However, the world ranked number 5 team, South Africa, remained calm and worked themselves into a lead with Phumza Maweni, their goal keeper, making some vital deflections and gains. The quarter ebbed and flowed, with South Africa having just one more attempt on goal than the Scottish Thistles, however the South Africa shooters were shooting at 100% accuracy, meaning they led 15 – 12 after the first 15 minutes. 

The Scotland attack looked like they were building in confidence as the match went on with McCall and Goodwin looking to post more often, rather than playing the ball out. The SPAR Proteas showed their class towards the end of the quarter stretching their lead to six with the score South Africa 31 – 25 Scotland. 

South Africa started with the momentum in the second half with centre Khanyisa Chawane making an immediate interception from the first centre pass. The South Africa circle defence were covering all spaces and forcing misplaced passes from the Scottish attack, as they claimed an 11 goal lead. With just 15 minutes left in the Pool A matches, South Africa led 47 – 36. 

Scotland kept fighting and gave their full squad time on court, which will only help the Thistles in future matches. South Africa dominated the final quarter meaning they finished 3rd in Pool A with the final score South Africa 65 – 46 Scotland. 

MALAWI 43 – 56 UGANDA

The fourth match of the day was set to be another intruiging one as the teams ranked 6th (Uganda) and 7th (Malawi) in the World Netball World Rankings came head to head.

In the initial stages of the game there was nothing to seperate the sides with both teams coverting from their centre passes. Stella Oyella at wing attack for Uganda was showing her speed and hitting the circle edge well, at the first quarter break Uganda were leading by just three goals with the score Malawi 11 – 14 Uganda. 

The Malawi and Uganda fans were out in full force in the second quarter, and both sets of players were rising to the challenge. Malawi centre, Takondwa Lwazi, was covering so much ground as she helped her side in both defence and attack. At half-time Lwazi had already provided 13 goal assists. At half-time Uganda had a slender lead with the score Malawi 24 – 28 Uganda.

In the third quarter the Malawi Queens goal keeper, Towera Vinkhumbo, was challenging Mary Cholhok for every ball, however when the interception came her side were unable to capitalise.  The Uganda She Cranes shooters looked clinical under the post, missing just 2 shots in the first 45 minutes. At the third quarter break Uganda had stretched their lead to eight with the score Malawi 33 – 41 Uganda. 

The Uganda centre court players, Nambirige and Baagala, were picking up loose balls round the circle edge which helped the She Cranes extend their lead. At the full-time whistle the score was Malawi 43 – 56 Uganda, giving the She Cranes their third win of the competition. 

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 32 – 41 NORTHERN IRELAND

Both sides were looking for their first win of the competition in this match and it was Northern Ireland that started the stronger out of the two sides racing into a five goal lead.

The Northern Ireland Warriors captian O’Hanlon showed her class in the middle of the court as she provided nine goal assists and one interception. It was a quick start from the Warriors who led 14 – 5 after the first 15 minutres. 

The Trinidad & Tobago Calypso Girls showed their fighting spirit in the second quarter as the game went goal for goal. Shaquanda Greene-Noel was providing her team with the momentum they required as she claimed five gains for her side in the first half. At half-time the score was Trinidad & Tobago 15 – 24 Northern Ireland. 

The Northern Ireland defence looked solid at the start of the second half, with Trinidad & Tobago taking over 5 minutes to score a goal in the quarter. Goal defence, Fionnuala Toner, was really influecing this match with five gains, four interceptions and five deflections. However, Trinidad & Tobago just kept fighting back with the score at the third quarter break Trinidad & Tobago 22 – 32 Northern Ireland. 

The Northern Ireland defence were giving their shooting duo plenty of attempts at goal with the Warriors having 59 attempts throughout the match in comparison to 36 for the Calypso Girls. 

The match ended Trinidad and Tobago 32 – 41 Northern Ireland, giving the latter their first win of the tournament. 

WALES 60 – 44 BARBADOS

The second match of the day saw Wales searching for their second win of the tournament, whilst Barbados were still seeking their first.

Wales got off to a quick start with Ella Powell-Davies and Christina Shaw both getting a gain each in the first 7 minutes. Barbados were working the ball nicely to their shooters, and their shooters were accurate, shooting at 83%. At the end of the first quarter the score was Wales 18 – 10 Barbados. 

The Barbados Gems started the second quarter much better, with Rock-Yaw pivotal in the middle of the court for the Gems with one gain, one interception and seven goal-assists. They continued to push the Wales team, and only lost this quarter by just three goals. At half-time Wales led 34 – 23. 

Barbados started the third quarter as they finished the second, and this was definitely their strongest performance so far. Again they were challenging Barbados in all areas of the court with only 2 goals separating the sides this quarter. However, due to Wales quick start, they still had a comfortable 13-goal lead. At the third quarter break, the scoreline is Wales 46 – 33 Barbados. 

Barbados secured their highest goal-scoring tally of the tournament, however, it was Wales that took the win, with the final score Wales 60 – 44 Barbados. This gives Wales their second win of the Games. 

AUSTRALIA 55 – 57 JAMAICA

The first match of day 7 was one of high importance with both sides unbeaten, meaning the winners would finish top of Pool A.

Jamaica went into an early 6 – 3 lead, with Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson making it extremely challenging for Australia to get the ball in the shooting circle. At the other end of the court for Jamaica, they were working the ball nicely to the circle edge in order to feed the tall Jhaniele Fowler, with Fowler also taking an interception herself. 

The Australian Diamonds began to get a foothold in the match, with Jamaica struggling to get free on their centre pass. At the first quarter break, Australia had a lead of just one goal, with the score Australia 12 – 13 Jamaica. 

In the early stages of the second quarter, both attacks were patiently and accurately working the ball to goal. Australia were unable to capitalise on a stray Jamaica pass in the 6th minute of the quarter, with the match continuing to go goal for goal. The Australian Diamonds were defending as a team unit throughout the court, with their wing attack and captain, Liz Watson, already securing 4 deflections in the match, this was forcing errors from the Jamaica side, with the half-time score Australia 30 – 29 Jamaica. 

The third quarter started with the same level of intensity as the first half, however a missed shot by Fowler allowed the Australians to go into a 4-goal lead. Steph Wood was putting in a lot of work for the Austalian attacking unit receiving 19 centre passes, providing 15 goal assists and scoring 14 goals.  At the third quarter break Australia had extended their lead to 6, leading 46-40.

The atmosphere in the arena was electric as Jamaica reduced the deficit to just 1 in the first 6 minutes of the quarter. Australia then misplaced a feed into Bueta, which Jamaica capitalised off to take the lead by 1. A fantastic interception by Sterling, gave Australia a 3 goal lead with just two minutes to go. The Jamaica players were ecstatic as they clinched a 2-goal win to finish top of Pool A, with the Australian Diamonds finishing 2nd. Final score Australia 55 – 57 Jamaica. 

Day 6

MALAWI 70 – 30 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

In the final match of day 6, Malawi got off to a quick start with their play in attack precise but with speed. The Malawi Queens goal attack, Simtowe, was finding her shooting partner often, and Kumwenda was accurate under the post missing just one shot in the first quarter. At the first quarter break the scoreline was Malawi 17 – 8 Trinidad & Tobago. 

In the second quarter, the Malawi defensive unit were restricing space for the the Calypso Girls, allowing wing defence Martha Dambo to impress for her team with three gains. Malawi scored a final goal of the half on the buzzer with The Queens stretching their lead to go into half-time 39-15. 

Trinidad & Tobago came out fighting in the second half as they reduced Malawi’s scoring rate. Shaquanda Greene, captain for the Calypso Girls, was battling hard for her team making seven deflections in the first 45 minutes. At the third quarter break Malawi led 57 – 23. 

The final quarter belonged to Malawi as they continued to push on and extend their lead. All Malawi shooters that took to the court were accurate missing just six shots between them (92% accuracy). The match ended Malawi 70 – 30 Trinidad & Tobago. 

SCOTLAND 72 – 28 BARBADOS

This was set to be an intruiging match with both sides looking for their first win of the competition. The Scottish Thistles took an early 4 – 1 lead as the Barbados Gems were penalised for held ball from their first centre pass. The Scotland captian, Claire Maxwell, then produced a great interception to extend her teams lead further. At the first break Scotland led 18 – 4. 

The second 15 minutes also belonged to Scotland as they raced into a 20 goal lead. Goal shooter, Beth Goodwin, was in fine form for Scotland working the ball close to the post and shooting accurately (24/25). Barbados were working hard to try and get a grip on the game, however at half-time the score was Scotland 42 – 11 Barbados. 

The Barbados Gems started the third quarter much better with their goal defence Akeena Stoute challenging for every ball and making two interceptions and three deflections. This quarter was much closer with just three goals seperating the sides, however due to Scotlands strong first half they still had a comprehensive lead with the score Scotland 54 – 20 Barbados. 

The Thistles finished the match with a flurry of goals, and gave all 12 players the opportunity to take to the court. At full-time the score was Scotland 72 – 28 Barbados, giving Scotland their first win of the tournament. 

UGANDA 63 – 26 NORTHERN IRELAND

Uganda were favourites going into the second match of day 6 with the She Cranes ranked 6th in the World Netball World Rankings and Northern Ireland ranked 11th. 

Uganda started the match well, with Northern Ireland struggling to get the ball to their shooters. With three minutes left in the quarter, Uganda goal keeper Shaffie Nalwanja took a flying interception with the She Cranes leading 11 – 5 after the first 15 minutes. 

Northern Ireland struggling to deal with the height of Mary Cholhok at goal shooter and it was evident that Uganda were increasing in confidence as the game progressed as they netted 17 goals in that quarter to lead at half-time 28 – 11. 

Uganda continued to dominate the second half, with their defence putting significant pressure on the Northern Ireland attack and Nalwanja securing possession for her side on a number of occasions. At the third quarter break Uganda led 45 – 19. 

In the final quarter, the She Cranes showed no sign of complacency and looked in full flow throughout the court. Northern Ireland showed glimpses of what they are capable of, however the final score was Uganda 63 – 26 Northern Ireland, giving Uganda their second win of the tournament. 

SOUTH AFRICA 69 – 51 WALES

South Africa’s defensive unit started the first match of day 6  well, forcing two held balls from the Welsh attack. It was an actioned-packed first quarter with both sides prepared for a physical match. Bethan Dyke, Wales wing attack was always an option at centre passes (7 centre pass receives) and hitting the circle edge well (4 goal assists). There was nothing to separate these sides in the first 15 minutes, with the score 12 – 12.

South Africa crept into a slender 4-goal lead at the start of the second quarter, with their shooting duo beginning to create space in the goal circle and looking extremely composed on their shot scoring 29/32 in the first half. A few missed shots by Wales allowed South Africa to open up a 10-goal lead at the half-time break. South Africa 31 – 21 Wales. 

The South Africa SPAR Proteas continued to extend their lead in the third quarter. Shadine van der Merwe at wing defence was influencing the game with her man-on-man defence which was halting the important Wales wing attack, Dyke. At the third quarter break, South Africa led by 21 goals. South Africa 53 – 32 Wales. 

The Wales fans were making themselves heard in the final 15 minutes, and they definitely provided their team with the boost they needed, as they won the final quarter 19 – 16. It was South Africa who took the win though, thanks to a strong first 45 minutes. The first match of day 6 finished South Africa 69 – 51 Wales, giving South Africa their second win of the tournament. 

Day 5

NEW ZEALAND 80 – 24 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

New Zealand got off to a flying start taking a 12 – 3 lead in the first half of the first quarter. The Silver Ferns centre, Whitney Souness, was dominating the mid-court with 8 goal assists and 2 deflections. Whilst at wing attack, Bailey Mes came in for her first start of the tournament and was making her chance count with 8 goal assists and 5 centre pass receives. After the first quarter New Zealand led 22 – 5. 

The crowd were trying to encourage Trinidad & Tobago, with goal keeper Shaquanda Greene a firm fans favourite, however New Zealand continued to increase the gap with their shooters showing consistency under the post. New Zealand led 43 – 11 at the midway point. 

Trinidad & Tobago started the final quarter really positively, as it went goal for goal during the first 5 minutes. Their shooters were accurate under the post, however, had far fewer attempts than the Silver Ferns. At the third quarter break, the scoreline was New Zealand 59 – 18. 

New Zealand took the opportunity to rotate their squad, with all players making an impact on the court. New Zealand secure their fourth win 80 – 24, and face England on Thursday in their final pool match. 

ENGLAND 56 – 35 UGANDA

England were looking to go top of Group B with a win over Uganda and they got off to a great start as England’s defence of Mentor and Guscoth were applying constant pressure in the circle resulting in 2 gains and 5 deflections throughout the quarter. For Uganda, their goal defence Nampungu was also in fine form getting 1 gain, 1 intercept and 1 deflection. At the quarter time break England were leading 13 – 7. 

It was a physical match with both teams applying man-on-man defence throughout the court. Cardwell was prepared for a battle and was holding her space well and looking composed on the shot, netting 18 out of 19 in the first half. At half-time England had secured a 10 goal lead with the score England 25 – 15 Uganda. 

The changes made at half-time to the England attack made a positive impact on the game with Cardwell moving to goal attack and Harten coming on at goal shooter. This gave England their highest scoring quarter with 15 goals. With 15 minutes to go England were leading 40 – 24. 

In in the final 15 minutes, the Uganda She Cranes stepped up their performance with Shaffie Nalwanja moving from goal keeper to wing defence and she created problems for the England attack, as well as helping her side attack through the court. However, it was too late, with England securing their fourth win and a semi-final spot. Full time score England 56 – 35 Uganda. 

JAMAICA 78 – 34 SCOTLAND

The desire for victory was clear from the off, with the Scottish Thistles and Jamaican Sunshine Girls battling throughout the centre court for every ball, however the difference between the two teams could be seen in the goal circles with the Sunshine Girls dominating both their attacking and defensive circles. 

At one end Jhaniele Fowler shot at 100%, whilst at the other end World Netball Ambassador Shamera Sterling teamed up with fellow Sunshine Girl Latanya Wilson to make 5 deflections between them allowing Jamaica to take a 25 – 6 lead into the first break. 

In the second quarter the Thistles came out firing, with Sarah MacPhail coming on at goal defence and making an instant impact, applying pressure onto Rebekah Robinson and making a crucial interception for her team. The quarter score was much closer at 15 – 12, meaning the scoreline sat at 40 – 18 to Jamaica at half-time. 

However, in the penultimate quarter Jamaica stepped it up again and scored four goals before Scotland were able to score one and from then on the Sunshine Girls maintained the momentum to take a 61 – 23 lead into the final 15-minutes. 

As per their last match against Wales, the Scottish Thistles came out firing for the final 15 minutes against Jamaica losing by just 6 goals. However, Jamaica were in a dominant position and went on to win 78 – 34 marking their fourth win of the tournament. 

AUSTRALIA 79 – 33 WALES

Both teams had a strong start to this match with the early stages going goal for goal. Australia did manage to gain a lead thanks to immense pressure from Courtney Bruce at goal defence who secured four deflections in the quarter. At the first quarter break Australia led 20 – 11. 

In the second quarter,  Australia continued to work the ball to their shooters with patient build-up play. The Welsh shooting duo of Rowe and Creak were shooting at 100%, however, they only had 18 attempts at goal in comparison to the Australian Diamonds 45. At half-time, the score was Australia 42 – 18 Wales. 

Australia had the momentum throughout the third quarter as they extended their lead. Steph Wood entered the court at goal attack and contributed with 8 goal assists and 4 goals (100% accuracy). The score after three quarters was Australia 64 – 25 Wales.  

The final quarter was much improved by Wales with the quarter scoreline 15 – 8, however, the full-time score was Australia 79 – 33 Wales meaning Australia remain unbeaten in the competition and sit top of Group A. 

Day 4

NEW ZEALAND 69 – 50 MALAWI

The final match of day 4 was another Group B clash. There was nothing to seperate the sides in the initial stages with Malawi wing attack Galleta always an option and feeding accurately into the circle. Malawi goal shooter scored all 13 goals for her side, with the quarter time score New Zealand 15 – 13 Malawi. 

The second quarter followed a similar pattern to that of the first with both sides causing each other problems. New Zealand circle defence forced Malawi into an error towards the end of the quarter, which allowed them to take a slender lead. However, Kumwenda scored a long range shot on the final whistle to bring Malawi to within 5 goals. This was the tightest match of the competition so far with the half-time score New Zealand 33 – 28 Malawi. 

A couple of missed shots from Malawi allowed the Silver Ferns to race into an 11 goal lead at the start of the second half. New Zealand goal keeper Kelly Jury picked up a number of gains and interceptions which helped her team into a 51 – 39 lead at the third quarter break. 

The crowd continued to cheer every Malawi goal, however New Zealand were showing why they are world champions with a calmness to their play. Day 4 was a great day for goal shooters and Grace Nweke continued this trend scoring 52 goals, missing just 3. New Zealand made it three wins out of three with the full time score New Zealand 69 – 50 Malawi. 

ENGLAND 71 – 27 NORTHERN IRELAND

England started with a much changed starting seven in comparison to the previous match, and they started well with Drakeford-Lewis providing some great feeds into the England shooters. Helen Housby looked confident under the post, shooting at 100% throughout the quarter. At the first break, England had a nine goal lead with the score England 18 – 9 Northern Ireland. 

Emma Magee was working hard for Northern Ireland at goal attack receiving 11 centre passes and scoring 8 goals for her team. In defence, they were making England work harder to get the ball to their shooters, however at half-time England were in a strong position leading 38 – 15.  

The Warriors continued to fight in the third quarter, with England scoring a fewer amount of goals this quarter than the first two. Housby returned to the court at GS and did not impact her shooting accuracy which remained at 100%. With one quarter to go, England led 53 – 22. 

Mentor and Guscoth returned to the circle defence for England in the final quarter, which halted Northern Ireland in attack, with the Warriors only scoring one goal in the first 9 minutes. A great final quarter from England (18-5) gave England their third win of the competition. Final score England 71 – 27 Northern Ireland. 

JAMAICA 103 – 24 BARBADOS

Jamaica were looking to make it three wins out of three against Barbados on day 4. They started the match full of confidence racing into a 10 – 2 lead. Shimona Nelson was starting at GS for the Sunshine Girls with Fowler on the bench and she looked determined to make her chance count netting 17 goals and missing just 1 shot. After the first quarter, Jamaica led 23 – 5. 

Jamaica continued to control proceedings in the second quarter scoring the first 12 goals, however, Barbados goal shooter, Wharton, then scored a long-range shot to get her team on the scoresheet. World Netball Ambassador Shamera Sterling secured her fifth intercept of the match, tipping a shot with a perfectly timed jump. At half-time Jamaica were in a dominant position with the score 51 – 9. 

The Bajan Gems came out fighting in the third quarter having their strongest quarter of the match. Their shooters found confidence and netted 8 goals throughout the quarter, compared to 9 throughout the entire first half. At the third quarter break, the score was Jamaica 73 – Barbados 17. 

The Sunshine Girls did not get complacent at any point during the match, and in the final quarter scored a further 30 goals meaning they reached 103 goals in the match. This is the most goals scored by any team in the Games so far. Final score, Jamaica 103 – 24 Barbados 

AUSTRALIA 74 – 49 SOUTH AFRICA

The early stages of the game saw the teams going goal for goal, until a flying interception from Courtney Bruce gave the Australian Diamonds the lead. Australia continued to drive forward with Hadley and Watson working the ball brilliantly to the circle edge.

South Africa were also working the ball nicely to their shooters with World Netball Ambassador Bongi Msomi finding Venter with a bullet bounce pass. At the first quarter break Australia led 19 – 11. 

The Australian Diamonds looked clinical in attack, with Wood and Bueta rotating the circle with ease and often finding a shooter-to-shooter pass. At half-time, they were both shooting at 100% with the score Australia 40 – 24 South Africa. 

The SPAR Proteas came out firing in the third quarter, with their defensive trio forcing the Australians into errors. There was only three goals separating the sides in this quarter, however, Australia were still in a dominant position thanks to a strong first half. At the third quarter break, the score was Australia 56 – 37 South Africa. 

Australia finished with a flurry of goals to secure their third win of the competition and they sit top of Group A. Final score Australia 74 – 49 South Africa.

Day 3

SCOTLAND 42 – 48 WALES

The last match of day 3 saw the first battle of the home nations as Scotland, ranked 9th in the world, came up against Wales, ranked 8th in the world. Wales forced the first turnover of the match, however Scotland fought back immediately to make it 5 – 5 after six minutes. There was not much to separate these sides in the first 15 minutes, with Wales just more clinical in the shooting circle. Quarter time score Scotland 7 – 12 Wales. 

Both teams were clinical from their centre pass at the start of the second quarter, with Scotland unable to reduce the 5 goal deficit from the first quarter. Wales then began to build momentum with goal shooter, Georgia Rowe. looking confident and calm under the post. At half-time Wales led 26 – 15. 

Scotland came out fighting in the second half with much more energy from each player, however Wales still looked more clinical under the post and at the third quarter break the scoreline was Scotland 28 – Wales 41. 

Scotland showed their true potential in the final 15 minutes, as the crowd at the Resorts World Arena roared on the Thistles. At one stage, it looked like a comeback was on, however Wales regained their composure to win the first home nations battle 48 – 42. 

UGANDA 62 – 28 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

Both teams were looking for their first win in the third match of day 3 and Uganda made a strong start to the match with both their shooters looking composed under the post and only missing one shot each. At the first quarter break Uganda had raced into a 13-6 lead. 

Trinidad & Tobago were creating turnovers in defence, however could not convert these into goals. For the She Cranes, Mary Cholhok was always presenting an option in the shooting circle, scoring 20/22. At half-time the score was Uganda 33 – 13 Trinidad & Tobago.

The Uganda defence were keeping it extremely tight within the circle and GK Nalwanja produced a brilliant flying interception midway through the quarter. Trinidad & Tobago kept fighting however, and produced a much better display this quarter. At the third quarter break Uganda led 47 – 22. 

The She Cranes fans were out in full force yet again, providing their side with so much energy. An impressive performance by Uganda gave them their first victory with the match finishing Uganda 62 – 28 Trinidad & Tobago. 

SOUTH AFRICA 91 – 36 BARBADOS

South Africa had a tough start to the competition losing to Jamaica in their first match, however they seemed to have put that behind them and raced into an early 5-goal lead. The SPAR Proteas continued to push on throughout the quarter and led 23 – 9 at the break. 

South Africa changed their goal shooter for the second quarter, but this did not impact their flow as Van Der Berg netted an impressive 17 goals missing just 2 shots. Barbados showed great spirit with their captain shooting at 91% in the first half of the match. At half-time South Africa led 43 – 18. 

South Africa continued to build on their strong first-half performance and showed squad depth as they rotated their team. Van Der Berg continued to dominate the shooting circle shooting at 94%. At the third-quarter break, the score was South Africa 66 – Barbados 27.

The South Africa attack was relentless and at the full-time whistle, the score was 91 – 36 with the SPAR Proteas showing their class to claim their first victory of the Games. 

MALAWI 54  – 41 NORTHERN IRELAND 

Both teams were ready for a battle on the first match of day 3 of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The man-on-man defensive pressure being applied by both teams throughout the court was relentless with all players struggling to find much space. The Malawi Queens went into the first quarter break leading 12 – 11. 

The second quarter was end to end with both sides tightly matched. The Warriors had patient build-up play and their shooters Crosbie and E.Magee remained calm under the post. However, a change in the shooting circle for Malawi paid dividends with Kumwenda moving into GS and Simtowe on at GA. The Queens went into half-time leading 25 – 21. 

Malawi started the second half with momentum racing into a 12-goal lead at the halfway point of the quarter. The Queens, ranked 7th in the World Netball World Rankings, began to dominate proceedings and entered the third quarter breaking leading 42 – 28. 

The Warriors showed fight in the final quarter, but Malawi claimed their first win of the tournament 54 – 41. 

Day 2

NEW ZEALAND 53  – 40 UGANDA

Both New Zealand and Uganda started this match with high intensity, and Uganda made New Zealand work extremely hard to build a lead. The Uganda defence of Nampungu and Nalwanja applied plenty of pressure, with New Zealand just edging the quarter to lead 14 – 11. 

New Zealand began to show their class in the second quarter with the Silver Ferns racing into a 7-goal lead in the early stages of the 15 minutes. Nweke looked clinical in the shooting circle with the half-time score New Zealand 31 – 18 Uganda. 

The crowd in the Resorts World Arena got behind Uganda at the start of the second half, with loud cheers for every goal scored. The Uganda team could feel the support, and through patient build-up play began to put pressure on New Zealand. Uganda won the third quarter 11 – 8, meaning New Zealand led 39 – 29 at the third quarter break. 

New Zealand regained their composure in the final quarter with the final score New Zealand 53 – 40 Uganda. 

JAMAICA 68  – 49 SOUTH AFRICA

The third match of day 2 saw World Netball World Ranked Number 4, Jamaica, face World Netball World Ranked Number 5, South Africa. The Jamaica circle defence of Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson applied immense pressure on the South African shooters resulting in the Sunshine Girls taking an early 7 – 2 lead. Jamaica looked strong throughout the court and at quarter time had an 11-goal lead (18 – 7). 

Jamaica had all the momentum going into the second quarter with their shooting duo of Fowler and Beckford looking unplayable at times and the former shooting at 100% throughout the first half. At half-time, the scoreline was Jamaica 37 – 19 South Africa. 

World Netball Ambassador Bongi Msomi continued to drive her side forward, working the ball patiently into the SPAR Proteas shooters. However, Jamaica extended their lead entering the third quarter break leading 54 – 31. 

South Africa played their best netball in the final 15 minutes winning the quarter by 4, however it was too late to affect the full-time score with Jamaica claiming their second victory of the tournament 68 – 49. 

ENGLAND 66  – 41 MALAWI

The England Roses got off to a flying start against the Malawi Queens with Voice of the Athlete Working Group Member, Stacey Francis-Bayman, making the first interception of the match. Metcalf and Cardwell were linking up well for England in attack having spent the 2022 Vitality Netball Superleague together at Manchester Thunder. England led 19 – 9 at the first quarter break.

The Queens showed their flare at the start of the second quarter with Joyce Mvula staying composed under the post. The crowd was in great voice, showing their support for both teams. The Roses went into the half-time break with a 15-goal lead (35 – 20).

The second half followed a similar pattern to that of the first, with both teams battling hard throughout the court. The Queens started the third quarter well, however England fought their way back into the contest, keeping their lead to 15 goals (48 – 33).

In the final quarter, England extended their lead further with the final score 66 – 41. This takes England to the top of Group B. 

AUSTRALIA 83  – 30 SCOTLAND

The Thistles came out firing for their first match of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, as they took on World Netball World Ranked Number 1 Australia in the first of day two’s fixtures. Voice of the Athlete Working Group Member, Emily Nicholl, was a crucial part of the Thistles starting seven, in goal defence, as she battled for every ball loose ball, meaning her side was trailing by just seven goals at the break (17 – 10).

The Australian Diamonds started the second half with high energy scoring the first eleven goals of the quarter. Scotland continued to show fight throughout the court and showed patient buildup play to work the ball to goal. At half-time the score was 35 – 16 to Australia. 

Australia extended their lead in the third quarter, with Bueta continuing to find the net despite moving to goal attack. Both sides took the opportunity to utilise their squad and at the third quarter break, the score was 58 – 25. 

The Thistles fans showed their support throughout the match, but the Australian Diamonds secured their second victory of the tournament 83 – 30 to keep them at the top of Group A. 

Day 1

NEW ZEALAND 79  – 20 NORTHERN IRELAND

In the final match of day 1, it was New Zealand that started the stronger out of the two sides, with their circle defence giving the Northern Ireland shooters no space, which created several turnovers for the Silver Ferns. New Zealand goal shooter, Grace Nweke was always an option in the circle and helped her side to a 18 – 4 lead at the first quarter break. 

Despite the scoreline, Northern Ireland showed determination and fight in the second quarter, however New Zealand looked strong throughout the court and went into half-time with a 33 – 11 lead.

New Zealand did not show any signs of becoming complacent in the second half scoring 24 goals in 15 minutes, making the scoreline at the third quarter break 57 – 16. The Silver Ferns, who were 2019 World Cup Champions, sealed the victory 79 – 20.

JAMAICA 72 – 43 WALES

The third match of the day started at a high intensity with both teams creating turnovers, meaning after the first 5 minutes the score was level at 5-5. Wales shooter, Georgia Rowe, and Jamaica shooter, Jhaniele Fowler, both started the game strongly and were composed on their shot. The score at the end of the first quarter was Jamaica 16 – 12 Wales. 

Jamaica raced into a 9 goal lead at the start of the second quarter as they applied defensive pressure throughout the court and were clinical in attack. A strong second quarter display by Jamaica meant they were up 38 – 22 at half-time. 

In the second half, Jamaica seemed full of confidence and built on their first half lead to go into the third quarter break leading by a 24 goal margin (55-31). Both sides made changes going into the final quarter with Jamaica showing the depth they have available in the squad as they continued to dominate proceedings. The final score was Jamaica 72 – 43 Wales.

AUSTRALIA 95  –  18 BARBADOS

Australia made a quick start to the second match of the day, scoring the first 4 goals of the match. The Australian shooting duo of Bueta and Wood were combining well in the circle with the first quarter ending 25 – 4.

Barbados continued to find it hard to break down the Australian Diamond’s defense, finding the net just once in the first half of the second quarter. Barbados finished the quarter on a high scoring a goal from the edge of the circle to take their tally to 9, however, it was Australia in a dominant position at the half-way stage leading 52 – 9. 

Both sides made changes in the second half, but Australia showed exactly why they are ranked No.1 in the World Netball World Rankings as they dominated throughout the court, at the end of the third quarter the score was 73 – 14. Goals were flowing for Australia with the match ending 95 – 18. 

ENGLAND 74  –  22 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 

It was an electric atmosphere for the first match of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and it was the defense of both teams on top in the early stages, with many turnovers at both ends of the court. England began to settle in the second half of the first quarter, with the first quarter finishing 15 – 6. 

England started the second half with the momentum, with Metcalf continuing to find the circle edge and feed the shooters with ease. At the other end of the court, World Netball Ambassador, Geva Mentor, was consistently applying pressure with Trinidad & Tobago only finding the net once in the first 10 minutes. At the half-time break, the score was 37 – 9. 

Both teams made changes in the second half, however this didn’t impact the flow of the game with the score at the end of the third quarter 57 – 13. The crowd at the Resorts World Arena certainly enjoyed this match, with the home team and defending champions securing their first win of the tournament 74 – 22. 

Opening Ceremony

The Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony took place at the Alexander Stadium, with lots of international netballers playing prestigous roles.

Notably, World Netball Ambassador Geva Mentor CBE read the Commonwealth Games Oath on behalf of all the athletes competing.

Whilst, another World Netball Ambassador, Bongi Msomi, was a flag-bearer for her country.

Peace Proscovia, Jhaniele Fowler, Mwai Kumwenda and Latonia Blackman were also flag-bearers for their countries.

We are so proud to have all of these athletes as part of our Netball Family.