Scottish Thistles advance to final playoff

Netball fans were treated to a real cliffhanger at the 2022 SPAR Diamond Challenge currently underway in Pretoria, with a draw between Scottish Thistles and Zimbabwe.

The final score ended 41-41 each as of the teams battled it out for a place in tomorrow’s final.

Going into the dying seconds of the match, Zimbabwe held a one goal lead until Thistles’ goal attack – Niamh McCall scored the equalizer with only eight seconds left on the clock. With the game ending in a draw, Scotland’s goal average saw them advance to the final against the Spar Proteas on Saturday.

A relieved Thistles captain, Claire Maxwell, said her team had allowed Zimbabwe back into the match after a fantastic start.

“It was a roller-coaster out there. There are so many emotions as we reflect on that game. I think we had a fantastic first quarter and we really played our style, but we allowed them to get back into the game which meant we had to fight all the way to final shot to come away with a draw.”

“We didn’t come here to lose or draw but at the same time the processes we went through today were invaluable.

We came here with the aim of reaching the final, and we have done that”

Coach Tamsin Greenway said the players had learnt a lot about themselves during the tournament and the match had been an important one.

“We’ve come here for lots of different reasons. One was to challenge South Africa and I think we did that.

“We wanted to expose players against the Presidents 12, we did that, but we came out on the losing side.”

“Today was about winning, that was the key. We went out there and won that first quarter, but you are seeing a group here that are learning what it takes to win and that is a tough thing for fans to understand.”

“You can give as many tactics as you want and have as good a culture as you want –  and we have a good one –  but you only understand what it’s like in those pressure situations, to take the lead and push on, to win ball and to punish an opposition by being out there and doing it. That is exactly what we’ve learnt this week.”

“I’ve said to them that this exposure, this tour has taught us so much about who can impact, who can take on the game and we showed some fighting grit.”

“We didn’t lose the game, that is the first positive. Have we got much more to give and much more to learn – yes. We have found out a lot about ourselves this week and I think you’ll see a very different side in this final game when the pressure is off.”

The final of the Spar Diamond Challenge will be played in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon with the Spar Proteas facing the Scottish Thistles for top honors. Zimbabwe will challenge the invitational President’s XII for third and fourth positions.