No Sunshine in Singapore

Robert Bailey, Sunday Gleaner Writer

NEWTON, Singapore:

Jamaica's head coach Oberon Pitterson has expressed shock at the Sunshine Girls' humiliating 82-46 thrashing at the hands of defending champions Australia in the semi-finals of the Mission Food World Netball Championships yesterday.

The Australians will face rivals New Zealand in the final today at 4:45 a.m. (Jamaica time). The New Zealanders booked their place in the final with an easy 49-34 victory over England in the other semi-final. Prior to the final (1:30 a.m.) Jamaica face England in the third-place play-off.

"I am disappointed," said Pitterson said after the loss. "I really didn't expect to be losing by this margin of 36 goals. I am sure the ladies are disappointed too, but we just have to build back for the bronze match."

Continuing Pitterson said: "We have to win that game because we came here to medal and so somehow I am going to try and get them motivated and get them ready to play in the bronze-medal match."

The Jamaicans began the match with their ace goal shooter Romelda Aiken playing an unfamiliar position at goal attack, and their experienced defender Althea Byfield sitting on the substitute's bench. Youngsters Jhaniele Fowler was placed at the goal shooting position while defender Malysha Kelly took the place of Byfield.

The Sunshine Girls started the match slowly as they allowed the Australians to jump into an 18-13 lead at the end of the first quarter, from which they never recovered.

The Australians dominated the second period, as the Jamaicans' lack of movement, creativity and inaccurate passes allowed the defending champions to mark their key players out of the game.

A shadow of herself

Aiken was also a shadow of herself, as she only managed to score three goals from four attempts, in the first half, as they trailed the Australia 37-23 at half-time. With Aiken struggling, Fowler, who had impressed in the earlier games, was also unable to fire, as the aggressive Australian defensive unit kept her at bay.

The Sunshine Girls found the going tough in the third period, as they were unable to find their rhythm due the Australians' tight marking aggressive play, which forced them into 12 turnovers in the stanza. The Australians also put the match out of the reach of the Jamaicans during this period as they doubled their advantage to 63-32.

Fowler ended the match with 37 goals from 43 attempts, Aiken finished with seven goals from nine attempts. Ann-Kay Griffiths who came on in the second quarter shot two from two.

"I thought we just didn't have the movement through the midcourt and we didn't have the drive on top of the circle and we were able to get into the shooters and that kind of throw us off and we didn't bounce back," said Pitterson. "We tried at times, but we let it slip out and were a little open in the defensive end and we weren't that tight," she said.

Pitterson also sought to explain her reason for starting Aiken at goal attack.

"I think her playing in a goal-attack position in a big match like this is quite new to her but this is something that we have worked on back home," Pitterson explained. "However, I thought that she needed some more support and she didn't get that. Whenever she had the ball, she really had to look hard, and that really wasn't the plan."

Catherine Cox led the way for the Australians with 39 goals from 47 attempts. Cox received support from Natalie Medhurst, 24 goals from 25 attempts, and Caitlin Bassett, who netted four from four.