Diamonds to shine in India at Games

AUSTRALIA'S netballers have no intention of pulling out of the Commonwealth Games despite the recent terrorist threat against athletes due to compete in India.

Coach Norma Plummer took team leaders Sharelle McMahon and Natalie von Bertouch, management and medical staff to Delhi on the way to the Diamonds' UK tour and was satisfied with Games arrangements.

''I just went to India on the way here and found everything to be fine,'' Plummer said after her team lost their first Test to England since 1981 yesterday (AEDT) .

''All the players want to represent Australia at Commonwealth Games. The only reason we wouldn't go is if they cancelled it, not us.''

Plummer said her team would heed all security advice after threats by al-Qaeda-linked militants.

''It's business as usual for us and we will be setting ourselves up to make sure we're going,'' she said.

Plummer was pleased with the efforts of her youthful squad, which is without five senior players including the injured McMahon, despite their 41-40 loss to England in Liverpool.

''I don't think England has got too much more to show,'' she said. ''That's their senior group … as far as caps and internationals and combinations on court. We are pretty green. We can change up a bit. That's experience.''

Player of the match and England defender Geva Mentor pointed out she wasn't even born when England last won a Test against Australia.

''All of us are absolutely ecstatic with the win. It was hard fought, but we made quite a few errors,'' she said.

England head coach Sue Hawkins said Australia would ''come back fighting''. ''They'll be hurting. They won't like it and they'll come back with a tougher approach.''

Kate Beveridge, the least experienced of Australia's shooters, led the scoring percentages with 13 goals from 16 attempts in the half she played, while the experienced Susan Pratley played a full game and shot 21 from 29. Defender and vice-captain Mo'onia Gerrard returned after missing Australia's second Test against Scotland with an ankle injury.

The Diamonds face England in the second of three Tests in Nottingham on Monday (AEDT).