Scramble for late medals

New Zealand has a rare opportunity to chase gold when they play hot favourites Australia in the women's basketball final tonight.

The match, being played on a drop-in court at the Melbourne Multi Purpose Arena, is a sellout with the super-confident hosts expecting to merely turn up to collect gold.

In a quiet night for New Zealand in track and field at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, pole vaulter Melina Hamilton faces qualifying and Angela McKee is in the high jump final.

New Zealand rate at least a starter's chance in the two mountain bike cross-country races at the State Mountain Bike Course at Lysterfield.

In a replay of their Manchester semifinal, the New Zealand women's hockey team meet India tonight.

Earlier, in another replay of the 2002 semifinals, Australia meet England.

The netball team play Malawi in their last pool match and then wait until Saturday for the semifinals.

Elsewhere New Zealanders are in action in lawn bowls, badminton, and squash as the scramble for late medals hots up.