Natasha Scott has claimed the Hunter’s first gold medal of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
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The Raymond Terrace bowler, 27, was part of the triumphant Australian women’s fours team which defeated South Africa 18-16 on the Gold Coast on Monday.
Scott skippered the team, known as the Jackaroos, which also included Kelsey Cottrell, Carla Krizanic and Rebecca van Asch.
“The last three or four games its come down to the last bowls, so I’ve learnt to deal with the pressure,” Scott said in a post-game interview when asked about the pressure on her being the last bowler.
“We show the Aussie spirit and fight no matter what. That’s what we did and came away with the win.
“We’re a solid team that’s played a fair bit together for the past three years or so. We have a lot of talent in the team. I definitely think that previous experience as a four has helped.”
The three-time world champion had her sights firmly fixed on winning gold after falling short at the 2010 Delhi and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Last year, Scott wrapped up her Australian Championships campaign with one gold and three silver medals. In October she clinched a historic clean sweep of all four women’s state titles in one season.
The fours win has seen Australia claim its first gold medal since the Melbourne 2006 Games, where it secured three gold, one silver and one bronze from six disciplines.
Australia now has one gold and one silver, courtesy of the men’s triples, so far from four disciplines.
It is a fitting result for the quartet, who are now the defending world fours champions and Commonwealth Games winners.
There was not much opportunity for the the team to enjoy the celebrations, however, with Cottrell, Scott and Van Asch uniting again on Monday evening for the start of the women’s triples sectional rounds against Papua New Guinea.
Australia defeated PNG 32-12. The Jackaroos next face India at 4pm on Tuesday.
EARLIER:
Raymond Terrace lawn bowler Natasha Scott is guaranteed to return home with a silver or gold Commonwealth Games medal when she and the Australian women’s four team take on South Africa in Monday’s final.
The women’s fours combination of Kelsey Cottrell, Carla Krizanic, Rebecca Van Asch and Scott will attempt to strike gold after a stunning semi-final performance against Canada, 10-9, that was determined in an extra sudden death end on Sunday, day four of the Gold Coast Games.
The Jackaroos quartet will face the reigning South African gold medallists from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games – Esme Kruger, Nicolene Neal, Johanna Snyman and Elma Davis – at 12.15pm AEST on Monday.
Monday’s final will be Scott’s third bid at securing Games gold.
The Terrace product, aged 27, debuted in Delhi in 2010 and also went to Glasgow in 2014.
In India, Scott finished fourth in the women’s pairs and in Glasgow, she finished in the quarter finals in the pairs.
Following the women’s fours, Scott will bowl with Krizanic and Van Asch in the women’s triples event.
Also read: Scott ready for third Commonwealth Games