Pendle’s Natalie Metcalf remains on course for Netball World Cup glory with England after the team qualified for the semi-finals tomorrow.

England will take on New Zealand at 10am in Cape Town looking to make Sunday’s final after a landmark win to end pool stage two yesterday against world number one side Australia.

The Roses beat the Aussies for the first time at a Netball World Cup and finish top of Pool F in South Africa, overturning an eight-goal third-quarter deficit to win 56-55in a thriller.

It is only the second time England have beaten Australia since their Commonwealth Games triumph in 2018.

Co-captain Metcalf and her team were already assured of their last-four place going into yesterday’s match, but the result means they maintain their unbeaten record at this year’s tournament with six wins from six.

In pool phase one, they beat Barbados 90-29, Malawi 62-39 and Scotland 62-37.

Then, in round two, they topped the group of six with wins against Tonga (72-46), Fiji (89-28) and Australia.

They have never won a Netball World Cup, having taken the bronze medal at the past three editions, but now have a chance to progress to Sunday’s final against either Jamaica or Australia.

“The fact we were eight goals down, to be pushed in the last 15 minutes and still come out on top - you can’t underestimate what that tells me about where the group are at mentally,” head coach Jess Thirlby told BBC Sport. “We know that we’ve got two games to come and it means nothing if we can’t follow it up.”