Aussies turn the heat on Sunshine Girls

MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC):

Jamaica's under-strength side got an early wake-up call on their tour of Australia, when the reigning World champions dismissed them 59-38 in the first Test yesterday.

The Jamaicans have travelled Down Under for a series of matches against the world No. 1 Aussies and world No. 2 New Zealand Silver Ferns, as they try to fine-tune preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, later this year.

But several of the Sunshine Girls' top players are absent for one reason or the other, and their replacements learnt the hard way how competitive the Aussies can be.

Jamaica coach Connie Francis blamed her side's lack of attacking power for the defeat, but also conceded the lack of experience was too much to overcome.

"I think our attacking team just did not show up, especially our three veteran players," said Francis.

Change of style

She added: "Romelda (Aiken) is a different Romelda than what we are accustomed to in Jamaica. I think her style has totally changed and I think this is one area we have to fix first in order for us to move forward.

"I think she is shooting more the Australian style from her being here."

Francis was alluding to goal shooter Aiken playing for the Queensland Firebirds in the ANZ Championship, the Trans-Tasman competition, which features sides from Australia and New Zealand, over the last three years.

Aiken helped the Jamaicans to be competitive in the early exchanges, as both sides tried to familiarise themselves with each other. But the visitors soon fell behind, following a five-goal spurt from the hosts that propelled them to a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Lack of attacking options

World No. 4 Jamaica were hamstrung by the lack of attacking options and their almost total reliance on the towering Aiken.

She sunk all but two of Jamaica's attempts in the first stanza and continued in the same vein in the second period, when goal attack Vanessa Walker stepped up.

They were unable to sustain this consistency, however, and the Aussie attacking duo of Natalie Medhurst and veteran goal shooter Catherine Cox were almost unstoppable at the other end, as the hosts jumped out to a 29-19 half-time lead.

Things got progressively worse for the Jamaicans in the third period, as Australia's new combinations started to work and they effectively sealed the fate of their opponents with 11 successive goals in the third quarter, which allowed them to lead 44-28 after three periods.

For Jamaica, Aiken scored 27 goals from 36 attempts, Anna-Kaye Griffith supported with seven-from-11 and Walker four from eight.

For Australia, Cox finished with 22 from 29, Medhurst tallied 30 from 33 and Kate Beveridge seven from 10.

The second Test will be played on Wednesday at the Olympic Park Sports Centre in Sydney.