Bassett wants Diamonds to shine for coach

Diamonds' captain Caitlin Bassett is determined to send coach Lisa Alexander out in style in Sunday's Bushfire Appeal game and admits she was surprised at Netball Australia's decision not to renew Alexander's contract.

Experienced shooter Bassett will lead Australia at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena against a Super Netball All-Stars team comprised of top international players from six nations.

It will be the final match in charge for Alexander, the most capped Diamonds coach ever, who in her 102-match tenure steered Australia to World Cup and Commonwealth Games wins in 2015 and 2014 respectively - and second place in the most recent edition of both - as well as numerous Constellation Cup and Quad Series triumphs.

"It's going to be sad, it's going to be an emotional last game and I just really want to send her out in style," Bassett said.

Asked if NA's decision not to renew Alexander's contract had come as a shock Bassett said: "It did to be honest.

"Lisa is such a great coach and she's perfect for the role.

"I know it's hard having to juggle the fact that she doesn't get to have us as athletes all the time.

"We are contracted to our Suncorp Super Netball teams and we only get to come together for camps here and there, so the head coach role is a particularly tough one.

"When we win it's great but when we lose all that responsibility is turned on to the head coach and I think Lisa has done a fantastic job over the last eight and a half years in pushing the development of our sport forward."

Looking forward to Sunday's match, Bassett said the Diamonds' experience of playing together is likely to give them an advantage over the All-Stars team.

The match will feature rolling substitutions, which will be introduced in Super Netball this year, and a longer range Super Shot worth two points in the final five minutes of each quarter, which will have the added bonus of giving goal shooters and goal attacks the opportunity to raise additional funds.

"Shooting long is not my strength, but I'll be encouraging other players to do it,"' Bassett said.