KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica captain Jhaniele Fowler said her side could expect a tough workout when they face Trinidad & Tobago in a three-match netball series this month.
Jamaica Netball Association plans for a three-nation series fell through when World No. 5 South Africa withdrew from participation because of health and safety concerns associated with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
But Fowler said the World No. 4 Sunshine Girls were determined to make the most out of the matches against the Calypso Girls, currently rated 10th in the World.
“We are a little disappointed, but we know how the world is going at the moment and so we are expecting anything to happen,” she told the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper. “I wish they could have still made it here.
“However, the players are looking forward to playing T&T because it is an international series, and it is a chance for us to look at where we are at and to see how we adjust when we come up against a different style of play.”
Fowler, who is rated as the best goal shooter in the world, said her team’s preparations have been going well and they were going to use the matches to track their progress.
“Nothing has changed because we are still preparing intensely, we are still making sure that we are still putting out our 100 per cent out there in training,” she said.
“The preparations have been intense, and girls have been giving it their all in training and I know that we are going to put up a good showing against T&T.”
The Calypso Girls are expected to include goal shooter Samantha Wallace and goal attack Kalifa McCollin, two players good enough to feature in the Super Netball League in Australia, where several Sunshine Girls, including Fowler have made their mark.
Wallace recently extended her contract for another two years with New South Wales Swifts and McCollin represented the Collingwood Magpies in the tournament last season.
“I reckon that they are going to have a lot of experience in their team, and I know that they are going to give us a really good fight,” said Fowler.
“We won’t be taking them lightly and we will not be going out there and leaving ourselves short because they always want to come out and play their best against us and so I am pretty sure that we have to play our ‘A’ game against them.”
