Melbourne: Amidst a carnival atmosphere on a brilliant sunny afternoon, Australia wrested the gold from India in the Commonwealth Games women's hockey competition, thanks to skipper Nikki Hudson's goal, here on Saturday.

India was defending the gold it won at the last edition in Manchester, while Australia's last triumph was at Kuala Lumpur in 1998 when hockey came on board. Australia gained only a bronze in 2002.

A packed stadium headed by the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, provided a perfect setting for a summit clash. It was perhaps in the fitness of things that the joy of scoring the match-winner should go to the captain. This was Hudson's third Commonwealth Games and now she has two golds and a bronze (Manchester).

A quick, stunning move

Hudson's finest moment came eight minutes before the hooter at a time when the Aussies were really struggling to overcome a stiff Indian resistance, so beautifully manifested by goalkeeper Helen Innocent.

A quick move by Sarah Taylor on the left stunned the defence for a moment. And Hudson deflected the cross, which came into the circle, with an impeccable flick to evoke spontaneous cheers.

Praise is due to the Indian defence that smothered the enormous pressure exerted on it by the combination of Taylor, Hudson and Wendy Beattie and supported commendably in the mid-field by Angela Skirving and Melanie Twitt.

Nothing was left to chance by the phalanx in which Rajwinder Kaur and Surai Tate stood out, apart from Innocent. The Indian mid-field tended to wobble especially when under pressure. Yet the defence, and Innocent in particular, managed to ward off as many as seven penalty corners.

Consistency is what the Indian frontline lacked. Barring the impressive sallies in the first quarter, the frontline lost its rhythm as the tie progressed. Jaseet Handa and Surinder Kaurwas were the playmakers. But Sanggai Maimom and Mamta Kharb, on whom the attack rested, were not sharp enough to weave in. Saba Anjum surfaced now and then by leading a lone charge.

Jyothi Kullu, another veteran in the squad was not as prominent as she had been in the earlier matches. However, late in the first half she had a splendid chance after goalkeeper Rachel Imison left her charge but failed to make capital of it.

India had three penalty corners in the first half and one in the second half, but the pattern of execution was prosaic and presented no alarm to the Aussie defence.

After the match Hudson admitted that India was one of the tougher teams and should be a major force in world hockey. Incidentally, India opened the campaign here with a 2-4 defeat against the Aussies after briefly leading 2-1.

Bronze for England

Earlier, England, the silver medallist in the two previous editions, had to settle for a bronze after a penalty shootout (3-1) against New Zealand. The match was deadlocked 0-0 at the end of regulation time and the golden goal time of 15 minutes.

Not sharp

Though the Kiwis looked better organised, their workouts were not sharp enough to beat the England defence. New Zealand earned five penalty corners against the three by England.

England's goalkeeper Carolyn Reid was outstanding, effecting two saves in the tie-breaker. Kate Walsh, Cresta Cullen and Naomi Rogers scored for England while the lone goal for the Kiwis came from Michelle Hollands

The results:

Gold medal match: Australia 1 (Nikki Hudson) bt India 0.

Bronze medal match: England 3 (Kate Walsh, Cresta Cullen, Naomi Rogers) bt New Zealand 1 (Michelle Hollands) via tie-breaker.

Final placings: 1. Australia, 2. India, 3. England, 4. New Zealand, 5. Scotland, 6. Malaysia, 7. South Africa, 8. Canada, 9. Barbados, 10. Nigeria

Sunday's matches: Bronze medal match: England v Malaysia (5 a.m.); Gold medal match: Australia v Pakistan (7.30 a.m.).

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