Sunshine Girls take lead against Barbados

JAMAICA’S SUNSHINE GIRLS defeated Caribbean neighbours Barbados 40-34 in yesterday’s game two at National Arena to take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test international series.

It wasn’t the best of performances from the senior netball team in front of a jam-packed arena, but the world number four ranked Sunshine Girls did what they had to and secured the vital win over the number twelve ranked Barbados. The first game, which was played on Friday, ended 44-all.

Both teams started well yesterday but were forced into errors as nerves and strong defensive pressure from both sides took their toll.

Jamaica led 12-9 at the end of the first quarter, 22-18 at half- time, 30-25 at the end of the third quarter, before wrapping up the win.

Thristina Harwood 19 (34 attempts), Shimona Nelson 15 (18 attempts) and Rebekah Robinson six (eight attempts) got the goals for Jamaica, while Latonia Blackman 17 (19 attempts), Shonica Wharton seven (eight attempts) scored for Barbados.

Jamaica’s coach Jermaine Allison-McCracken said that she was happy with her team’s performance.

“I think that the team performed very well tonight (yesterday) to win. There were moments of excellence, as is always with the Sunshine Girls, moments of innovation, and Adean Thomas always brings that. I know that the Girls can now win the series, they have shown that they win, but obviously there are some things that we do need to work on. I hope that they can contain the energy and bring it tomorrow (today),” McCracken told the Jamaica Observer.

Her opposite number Sandra Bruce-Small said that her team strayed away from the game plan.

“We moved away from our game plan of keeping the ball low. We went in the air a bit, and that is Jamaica’s strength as the girls are taller than we are, plus we weren’t disciplined enough in possession,” she said.

The Sunshine Girls now have the momentum going into final Test today at the same venue. Match time is 7 pm (Jamaica time). (Jamaica Observer)