By Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter
Jamaica's goalkeeper Kasey Evering and England's goalshooter Alex Astle, left, hold onto the ball during their first game of a three-match series at G.C. Foster College on Monday. England won 51-47. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
THE England netball squad will no doubt feel at home in Mandeville's cool climes, but they are certain to feel some heat from Jamaica's Sunshine Girls when they meet in game two of their practice series at Northern Caribbean University starting at 4:30 p.m.
England clinched the first game 51-47 to lead the three-game series 1-0 but the Jamaicans are hoping to pull level in today's Mandeville clash.
"It was fatigue why we lost the first game but we've had time to recover so we're promising a better performance for Wednesday's game. We had training and looked at our errors and they are simple mistakes that can be corrected," Jamaica's stand-in coach Janet Guy said.
Jamaica should have its full compliment of players for the match as it was without shooter Elaine Davis in the last game. Davis missed Monday's game due to academic commitments.
She will share the shooting circle with Connie Francis, who is nursing a right thigh injury; Carla Williams who averaged 90 per cent shooting in the last game and spunky Tiffannie Wolfe.
The defence is secure with captain Oberon Pitterson,
Nichala Gibson, Nadine Ffrench and Kasey Evering, while attacking support will come from Nadine Bryan and Sharon Wiles.
Also listed on the match card are Tasha Morgan and senior team rookies Neekeesha Connally, Lavern McKenzie, Tamara Hylton, Kaydia Kentish, Kameisha Sherwood and Tameka Stewart.
It is the young talent of which England's coach Lyn Gunson is wary.
"The young Jamaican players look very talented and I'm looking to see more of them in the next game. They put pressure on us in the last game and winning the second game will not be as easy as we hope it will be, but we'll try," she said.
England started with Alex Astle, Abby Teare, Tracey Neville, Karen Aspinall, Amanda Newton, Sonia Mkoloma and Janet Coulburne in the last game but may choose a different seven from the list of Ama Agbeze, Lindsay Armitage, Jade Clarke, Rebecca Douglas, Chioma Ezeogu, Jess Garland, Karen Greig, Geva Mentor, Natalie Seatoun and Naomi Siddall.
The teams play their final practice game on Saturday at G.C. Foster College at 5:00 p.m. but a day before, England engage a select Jamaica Under-21 side in a warm-up game at the same venue at 4:30 p.m.
