Netball South Africa go Sunshine hunting

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CMC):

NETBALL SOUTH Africa (NSA) president Cecilia Molokwane says the national team will aspire to push Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls hard and surpass them in the world rankings when the two teams meet for a three-Test series in the New Year in Kingston.

The South Africans are ranked fifth in the world and last faced the fourth-ranked Jamaicans during a tri-nations series that also involved Trinidad and Tobago two years ago in Kingston amid the challenges of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Molokwane said coordinating the schedule was a challenging task because of the busy agenda of the Sunshine Girls, but plans for the trip were well advanced, and the national team will be looking to secure an elevated standing in the sport.

“I can confirm … that we’ve recently inked a new contract with the Jamaican netball federation for a three-test-match series in Jamaica,” she told SABC Sport. “It’s crucial for us to compete against a nation ranked higher than ours.

“Although we faced Jamaica during the challenging times of COVID-19, we feel the need to provide them with a formidable test. In my perspective, playing against Jamaica holds greater significance than facing Australia, New Zealand, and England.

“This is primarily because Jamaica holds a higher position than us in the world rankings, and our strategic goal is to interchange positions with them. Triumphing over a team close boosts confidence, setting the stage for challenging encounters with others.”

South Africa had little success when they faced world number-one Australia and world number-three England in recent series, but Molokwane said NSA will prepare the team well to ensure they meet their objectives.

“Rest assured, we’re geared up for the exciting challenge against Jamaica,” she said. “The remainder of the programme for the year will be disclosed to the public … but we’re taking a break to provide the players and everyone involved with an opportunity to rest.”

When the South Africans hosted the World Cup this past July to August, the Jamaicans beat them 67-49, and this will still be fresh in their minds.

The win was also sweet revenge for the Sunshine Girls, who were beaten 55-52 by the Proteas in the 2019 World Cup in England.