Pitterson blames senior players

NEWTON, Singapore:

Head coach of the Jamaica Sunshine Girls, Oberon Pitterson, has heaped the blame for Jamaica's big 82-46 defeat by Australia in the World Netball Championships semi-finals on the team's senior players.

Pitterson, who was recently installed as Jamaica's head, told The Gleaner her experienced players failed to lift their team when it mattered most.

"When you play a match like this, it is your senior players, who have to come to the fore, especially those who have world-championship experience under their belts and that didn't happen," Pitterson said after their defeat yesterday.Pitterson also singled out defender Althea Byfield, a veteran of three World Championships, for her inability to effectively deal with the Australians attackers.

Byfield, who started the match on the bench, was brought into the game by Pitterson to replace fellow defender Nicole Aiken-Pinnock at the start of the third period.

Disappointing

"It was just really disappointing because this is what you take to the game, your experience, and to know that in a semi-final, this is Althea's (Byfield) third World Championships and we would have liked to see her experience out there," said Pitterson.

Captain Nadine Bryan, a veteran of four World Championships, also failed to spark for Jamaicans as she was taken out of the game by Pitterson at the start of the third period.

Sasher-Gaye Henry, vice-captain of the Sunshine Girls, failed to shine for the Jamaicans in the first half and was replaced by first-timer Kimone Tulloch midway through the second quarter.

Aiken-Pinnock, another senior member of the team, was also very ineffective for Sunshine Girls as she also failed to make her presence felt on the court for the number-four-ranked Jamaicans who were scheduled to play England in the bronze-medal play-off earlier this morning.

- R.B.