Steve Jancetic / AAP News

The Australian women’s table tennis team claimed bronze, the legend Jian Fang Lay’s eighth career Commonwealth Games medal.

Veteran Jian Fang Lay has an eighth Commonwealth Games medal after Australia made an early addition to its medal tally with bronze in the women’s table tennis team event in Birmingham.

Led by the 49-year-old Lay – appearing at her sixth Games – Australia beat Wales 3-0 with Lay closing out the win with a three-game shutout of Charlotte Carey in the second of the singles clashes.

The Australians did not drop a game in any of the three matches, the highlight of which was the first of the singles contest between teens Yangzi Liu, the 19-year-old from Australia, and 15-year-old Welsh whizkid Anna Hursey.

All three of their games reached 9-9, with Liu taking the crucial opening game 15-13 as she claimed a medal at her debut Games.

“I’m really happy with the result even though we lost to a strong (Singapore) team in the semi-finals yesterday,” Liu said.

“It was good, we just forgot everything about that result.

“We have a really strong team and I can feel a lot of power from teammates and the coaches … that was fantastic.

“I didn’t feel really nervous when I was warming up, getting ready. As soon as I walked into the hall I felt it’s the time to show everyone we are better.”

Liu, Lay and Minhyung Jee – who partnered Lay in the opening doubles win – will be back in action when the singles competition gets underway on Wednesday.