England were dealt a double blow in team events at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday with defeats in the semi-finals of the women's netball and the men's hockey.
The netballers went down 35-34 to New Zealand with Marai Tutaia sinking the winner in the final two seconds after a misplaced pass from Kadeen Corbin as the English pushed forward in search of glory.
The defending champion Silver Fearns will play either top-ranked Australia or Jamaica in Sunday's final.
"They are really good in turning every trick out, and trying to turn the ball over. And that's exactly what they did," England goal shooter Jo Harten said.
"They've got some top notch players, world class players. And they dealt it to us in those final seconds."
Australia comfortably saw off England 4-1 in the hockey semis and will face either India or New Zealand for their fifth consecutive Commonwealth Games gold.
The first two golds on the penultimate day of competition, meanwhile, went to Nigeria's women powerlifters with Esther Oyema topping the women's lightweight category and Loveline Obiji the heavyweight, both with world record heaves.
A total of 33 golds were up for grabs on a busy Saturday schedule with notably Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce headlining two Jamaican quartets bidding for victories in the men's and women's 4x100m relays at Hampden Park.
Bolt made a highly-anticipated return to the track in anchoring his team through the heat, Fraser-Pryce doing the same for a strong women's foursome also including multiple world and Olympic medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart.
"I'm happy to be part of the relay team and be one country and be part of the Commonwealth," said Bolt.
There are also finals in the men and women's 4x400m relay races, England able to call on Christine Ohuruogu, the current world 400m champion and former Olympic and Commonwealth gold medallist.
Other finals include the women's pole vault and 5,000m, and the men's triple jump and javelin.
On the penultimate day of the Games, there are 13 gold medals to be decided in boxing with Indian fighters chasing four titles.
Devendro Laishram takes on defending champion Paddy Barnes of Northern Ireland in the lightweight final while Mandeep Jangra faces England's Scott Fitzgerald in the welterweight gold medal match.
World championship bronze medallist Vijender Vijender will battle it out with Antony Fowler for middleweight gold while Laishram Devi and Australia's Shelley Watts clash in the women's lightweight final.
Nicola Adams will attempt to add the Commonwealth title to her Olympic gold when she faces Michaela Walsh in the women's flyweight gold-medal.
Compatriot Savannah Marshall contests the women's middleweight final against Canada's Ariane Fortin.
In the women's hockey final, Australia, having won three of the last four Commonwealth Games golds, tackle England who have never won the title.
Australia have scored 32 goals and conceded just one at the Glasgow tournament and boast the top scorer in Jodie Kenny who has nine goals.
In squash, India's Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa face English top seeds Jenny Duncalf and Laura Massaro for gold in women's doubles.
Table tennis also ends with three golds to be decided in men's singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.
Source: AFP
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