Scotland beat Barbados to end Netball World Cup on a high

Scotland's Claire Maxwell, right, with Barbados' Tonisha Rock-Yaw. Picture: Nigel French/PA Wire

A close group-stage defeat to Uganda and a draw with Trinidad had effectively ended the Scots’ hopes of claiming the top-eight finish they had targeted before the tournament.

But they rebounded well with 17-year-old goal shooter Emma Barrie top scoring to enable them to better their finish at the 2015 World Cup.

A blistering second quarter made the difference as Barrie helped her team extend a two-point advantage into seven by the half-time break.

Scotland retained that advantage through the second half to pull off arguably their best win of the tournament.

Barrie said: “We’ve not had the best competition in terms of where our targets were, but it’s good to get that win.

“I’ve learned a lot during this tournament, more about the physicality, so I’ll go back, build up my strength, and hopefully over the next four years I can be stronger and compete more against these goalkeepers.”

Later in the day England saw their World Cup dreams dashed as New Zealand won a dramatic semi-final 47-45 to book a place in today’s final against Australia.

Tracey Neville’s team clawed back from a nightmare start to lead 24-21 at half-time but a disastrous third quarter gave their opponents a three-point lead going into the last.

The deficit proved too tough to breach for an England team who must now recover for the third-place play-off against South Africa.

The warning signs were there early on as Maria Folau gave New Zealand a 5-0 lead inside the first four minutes. Folau, who had been booed during the pre-game introductions after recently defending her husband Israel’s controversial religious beliefs, scored four from four to get the Silver Ferns off to a flying start.

England recovered to haul back the deficit but still faced a big task as they trailed 12-9 at the end of the first. Helen Housby hauled them back into the match but they struggled to sustain their momentum and suffered a third-quarter slump. England came back again, reeling in their opponents to a two-point gap heading into the final minute but New Zealand held on which means England’s long wait for a place in a World Cup final goes on. Australia edged their way into the final with a 55-53 win over South Africa.