England flourish and Thorpe wins fourth

Ian Thorpe snapped up his fourth Commonwealth Games title but hosts England made sure the Australians did not dominate on Thursday, winning four gold medals in one of their most successful nights in swimming.

Australia added five to their tally to bring their total to 11 out of 19 golds after three days but home fans had plenty to cheer as James Goddard, Adam Whitehead, Sarah Price and the women's 4x200 metres freestyle relay lifted the English aggregate to six.

Thorpe anchored Australia to victory in the concluding 4x200 metres freestyle relay, an event they have won at every edition of these Games since 1954, and targeted a fifth gold in his bid for an unprecedented seven by posting the fastest time -- a Games record 49.31 seconds -- in the 100 metres freestyle semi-finals.

Australia's day was soured by the disqualification of Matt Welsh, the Olympic bronze medallist, in the heats of the 200 metres backstroke. He was judged to have moved before the start, a charge he denied, and the appeal jury turned down an Australian protest.

Goddard made the most of Welsh's absence, leading from start to finish to win from Scotland's Gregor Tait and English team mate Simon Militis in 1:59.83.

"I think everyone had a chance of gold after Welsh was disqualified," Goddard said. "I'm glad to contribute to Team England's medals. I think we've given the Aussies a scare."

AUSTRALIAN GOLD

The Australians, however, proceeded to reel off four wins in a row, thanks to Jodie Henry, Ben Austin, Leisel Jones and Geoff Huegill.

Henry and Jones secured their first major championship golds, 18-year-old Henry bursting through to win the women's 100 metres freestyle in 55.45 and 16-year-old Jones, already an Olympic and world 100 breaststroke silver medallist, leading from start to finish to take the women's 200 breaststroke in 2:25.93.

"My first international gold feels fantastic," Jones said. "It was good to get out of the silver bracket. I was a little disappointed with the time but I think I'll get there with age."

Austin won the multi-disability men's 50 freestyle and then world champion and world record-holder Huegill snatched the 50 butterfly crown with a late surge which took him past South Africa's Roland Schoeman in 23.57.

But England hit back. Whitehead, fifth at the turn in the 100 breaststroke, turned up the pressure on the return length to win in 1:01.13 from Canada's Morgan Knabe (1:01.23), with James Gibson touching in 1:01.64 to beat English team mate Darren Mew to the bronze.

"To me that's four years of turmoil, ups and downs, highs and lows. I nearly quit the sport a year ago. I've had a lot of bad experiences after Sydney (Olympics) and a lot of bad swims but my friends and family kept me in it," Whitehead said.

RELAY DELIGHT

Sarah Price then added to English joy with a fine victory over Australians Dyana Calub and Giaan Rooney, the defending champion, in the 100 metres backstroke. Price, roared on by the crowd, led throughout and won in 1:01.06 to post her third Games record in two days.

"The crowd have made a really big difference. We've never had this before and it's just fantastic," Price said.

England's night was crowned with victory over the Australians in the women's 4x200 metres freestyle relay, a win of particular sweetness for the host team because a year ago Britain won the event at the world championships only after the Australians had been disqualified.

The lead switched hands on each leg of race, with England's Karen Legg ahead after the first, world champion Rooney edging Australia in front on the second and then Joanna Fargus regaining the lead for the host country.

Australia's Petria Thomas, who had cost Australia the world title when she jumped into the water in premature celebration of victory and got the team disqualified, squeezed in front of Karen Pickering on the anchor leg and held the lead with 100 metres to go. But Pickering struck back, regaining the lead on the third length and never relinquishing it.

England won in 8:01.39, with Australia second in 8:01.91 and Canada third in 8:04.66 but without bronze medals because there were only four teams in the race.

Thomas, 200 freestyle bronze medallist on Tuesday and 50 metres butterfly gold medallist on Wednesday, was out of the medals in Thursday's 100 freestyle but took a silver in the relay. She is contesting eight events in Manchester.

"England were the better team on the day," Thomas said. "I was hurting a lot. You just want to go better but your body won't let you."