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MELBOURNE - Australia continued their impressive build-up to the world netball championships with a thrilling 66-62 victory over Jamaica in the opening match of their Test series on Thursday.
After a successful tour of England, the world No 2 side was pushed throughout by the world No 3 Jamaicans in a physical encounter.
They edged away to a six goal lead early in the final quarter only for the visitors to claw their way back to within a goal with less than a minute left on the clock.
However the home side showed their experience and composure to control the final seconds and take a one-nil lead in the two match series.
With the world championships in Auckland in November, the result also gave the home side some satisfaction and confidence after they were held to a 54-54 draw by Jamaica at last year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
While Australian goal shooter Catherine Cox (33 goals from 38 attempts) was named player of the match, the award could have easily have gone to Jamaican Romelda Aiken, who replaced captain Elaine Davis who was sidelined with knee problems.
Standing 190cm, the lanky Aiken was a constant handful for Australia's defensive pairing of skipper Liz Ellis and Bianca Chatfield, who replaced in the injured Mo'onia Gerrard.
She finished the match with a 95 per cent success rate, slotting 38 goals from 40 attempts.
Australian coach Norma Plummer said her side was prepared for a tough encounter, believing the visitors had been playing "cat and mouse" during their warm-up matches.
"We got our run and then we blew it," she said of her side's lead early in the final period.
Australia looked sharp early on as they sprinted away to a 12-4 lead midway through the opening quarter, with goal attack Sharelle McMahon and shooter Catherine Cox both having little trouble in finding their target.
The home side's athletic midfield, featuring the South Australian von Bertouch sisters Natalie and Laura, as well as wing defence Selina Gilsenan, looked to have too much pace and class for Jamaica.
But on a bitterly cold Melbourne day the Jamaicans warmed to the task and started to claw their way back into the match and closed the gap to 18-15 at the first break.
The second quarter was a tightly-fought affair with the teams trading goals throughout the 15 minutes.
The Jamaicans came out firing and levelled the score four minutes into the quarter and the Australians were unable to break away, with the teams going goal for goal until they went to the main break locked at 35-35.
By the last break the home side was up 51-47 but the game was still up for grabs until the final countdown.
Plummer said her side had had an unsettled preparation, losing Gerrard to a calf injury while McMahon was absent for much of the preparation due the death of her grandmother.
"We only got Sharelle back today after the funeral and she was a bit out of sorts and a bit up and down."
The second Test is in Sydney on Sunday before both teams play New Zealand.
- AAP