Facing the number-one team in the world twice in the same tournament proved a hill too steep to climb for Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls on Sunday after losing 55-51 to the now four-time Commonwealth Games champions Australia in the gold medal match at the NEC Arena.
Despite heroic efforts from Captain Jhanielle Fowler who scored 46 goals from 47 attempts and a perfect five from Shanice Beckford, Jamaica found the Diamonds too hard to break the second time around.
Jamaica defeated Australia 57-55 to win Pool A in the preliminary rounds and followed up with an emphatic 67-51 victory over New Zealand, the second-best team in the world that claimed the bronze medal Sunday morning after defeating England 55-48.
In the gold-medal encounter, the Australians edged Jamaica 14-12 in a keenly contested first quarter but the Jamaicans showed grit rebounding to win the second quarter 17-15 to see both teams remain deadlocked at the half-time break.
Australia broke the game open in the third quarter outscoring the Jamaicans 16-10 to take a six-point lead into the final stanza. Australia extended the lead to seven goals late in the quarter but Jamaica was not prepared to yield and fought valiantly outscoring the champions 12-10 but it was simply not enough.
Jamaica missed only one shot from 52 attempts during the final.
Gretel Bueta led the scoring for the Commonwealth champions, shooting a perfect 37 goals from 37 attempts. Cara Koenen was also perfect scoring 15 goals from 15 attempts.
The Sunshine Girls will leave Birmingham with a silver medal their highest ever placing at the Commonwealth Games.
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Inglis breaks Australia T20I record to confirm Scotland series win
Josh Inglis' record-breaking hundred helped Australia wrap up a series victory over Scotland, winning the second T20I by 70 runs at The Grange on Friday.
Inglis struck seven fours and seven sixes in a ruthless batting display, becoming the quickest player in Australian history to reach 100 runs in the 20-over format.
The tourists had earlier got off to a poor start with the bat as Travis Head was bowled out for a duck by Brad Currie (3-37) in the first over.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (16) would follow shortly after, only for Inglis to take control of proceedings as he reached his ton in just 43 balls, putting Australia in a strong position.
He would eventually fall victim to Chris Sole in the 18th over, with Cameron Green (36), Marcus Stoinis (20) and Tim David (17) helping to set Scotland a target of 197.
The hosts then found themselves with a mountain to climb, having seen four wickets fall before the halfway stage of their innings.
Brandon McMullen's knock of 59 offered Scotland a glimpse of a comeback, but the wickets continued to tumble as Stoinis (4-23) ripped through their lower order, sealing the triumph with the wicket of Chris Greaves (6).
Data Debrief: Record breaker Inglis
Inglis was the star of the show for the tourists, recording the quickest ton for Australia in T20Is, from just 43 deliveries.
He also recorded the joint-fastest century by a designated wicketkeeper-batter from a full-time nation, equalling South African Quinton de Kock's 43-ball hundred against West Indies in 2023.
Samantha Wallace-Joseph joins Loughborough Lightning after controversial departure from NSW Swifts
Trinidadian netball star Samantha Wallace-Joseph will take her talents to England, having signed with the Loughborough Lightning for the 2025 Netball Super League (NSL) season. The move comes after Wallace-Joseph’s departure from the New South Wales Swifts in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League earlier this summer, following a mutual agreement to part ways.
The reigning back-to-back NSL champions, Loughborough Lightning, have expressed excitement over the addition of Wallace-Joseph to their roster, recognizing her as a key signing. Wallace-Joseph, who spent seven successful seasons with the NSW Swifts, will now lead the Lightning's shooting circle following the departure of Mary Cholhok to the Queensland Firebirds.
Her signing is seen as a major coup for Loughborough, with Wallace-Joseph bringing a wealth of international experience and talent. She was a standout for the Swifts and a crucial part of their successes, making her one of the most prominent figures in netball.
Joining Wallace-Joseph in Loughborough’s 2025 campaign are other high-profile recruits, including South African defender Shadine Van Der Merwe, former Manchester Thunder shooter Berri Neil, and Jodie Gibson, a 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist making her return to the club. These additions complement an already formidable roster that includes returning players like captain Nat Panagarry, Beth Cobden, and Ella Clark.
Loughborough Lightning Head Coach Vic Burgess expressed pride in the squad assembled for the upcoming season, noting the ambition to defend their titles. "As back-to-back defending champions, we’re aware that there will be a target on our back. With this in mind, we’ve recruited exciting players across the court to ensure that we’re in a position to battle for silverware once again," Burgess said.
Wallace-Joseph’s move to Loughborough comes after a challenging period with the Swifts, where she had recently returned from a two-year hiatus due to knee surgery. Despite her stellar track record, the Swifts and Wallace-Joseph decided to part ways following internal issues, marking the end of her time in the Australian league.
Her fresh start in England offers Wallace-Joseph an opportunity to reestablish herself as one of the premier shooters in netball. With Loughborough’s strong squad and the upcoming 2025 season set to begin in March, Wallace-Joseph will look to bring her trademark skill and leadership to the Lightning’s quest for a third consecutive NSL title.
Australia 0-1 Bahrain: Souttar own-goal downs 10-man Socceroos
Harry Souttar's 89th minute own-goal handed Bahrain a memorable victory over Australia, emerging 1-0 victors at the Cbus Super Stadium.
The visitors were handed the advantage late on after Kusini Yengi's straight red card, with Souttar turning home Mahdi Al Humaidan's cross after a spell of pressure.
Australia were restricted to few opportunities in the first half, with Craig Goodwin and Yengi going close in quick succession just before the interval.
Despite registering 69.3% of possession in the opening half, the hosts managed just five shots at Ebrahim Lutfallah's net, only one of which was on target.
Graham Arnold's side struggled to penetrate Bahrain's stern defensive shape, with their task made even more difficult when Yengi was given his marching orders for a high foot on Sayed Baqer.
And there would be a further twist in the tale as Al Humaidan drove to the byline before delivering into the area, with the outstretched knee of Souttar diverting it past Mat Ryan for Bahrain's first goal against the Socceroos in 18 years.
It marked a nightmare start for Australia in the third round of the 2026 AFC World Cup qualifiers, with both Japan and Saudi Arabia to come.
Data Debrief: Socceroos fail to jump into gear
Australia can only blame themselves for their defeat on home soil, generating an expected goals (xG) total of 0.79 from the 11 shots they registered in the encounter.
They also managed 20 touches in the opposition's penalty area, compared to Bahrain's four, while also ending the contest with 71% possession.
Bahrain, meanwhile, will count their lucky stars having only managed an xG of 0.07, managing just one shot on target from the three they attempted.
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