England win first hockey gold but cricket and netball bids end in disappointment

England won Commonwealth Games hockey gold for the first time but there was heartache for the cricket and netball teams in their bronze medal matches.

Here, the PA news agency reflects on Sunday’s early action and looks forward to the highlights that remain on the final day of the Games:

England had reached the final of the women’s hockey three times previously but lost on every occasion, most recently in a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat against Australia at Glasgow 2014.

But second-quarter goals from Holly Hunt and Tess Howard sealed a 2-1 win over the Hockeyroos, who were outthought, outfought and outplayed by the tournament hosts.

England bade an emotional farewell to Eboni Usoro-Brown and Stacey Francis-Bayman after the experienced pair bowed out of international netball with a disappointing 55-48 defeat to New Zealand in the bronze medal play-off.

Fast bowler Katherine Brunt, meanwhile, says she needs to “reflect” on whether she will play cricket for England again as they were thrashed by eight wickets in their bronze medal match against New Zealand. Brunt added: “It felt like the actual whole country was behind us. We’re sad we let them down.”

England claimed their first beach volleyball medal at the Commonwealth Games after twin brothers Javier and Joaquin Bello brushed aside Rwandan pair Olivier Ntagengwa and Venuste Gatsinze 21-11 21-12.

The siblings never looked back after moving 3-0 up in the first set of the bronze medal match and while the early stages of the second was a nip-and-tuck affair, they ended their opponents’ resistance by winning nine points in a row before rushing to celebrate with their mother Barbara and brother Enrique.

While Australia will be looking for a frankly remarkable seventh