Sunshine Girls (from left) Althea Byfield, Sasher-Gaye Henry, Kasey Evering, Simone Forbes and captain Elaine Davis receive a pep talk from coach Connie Francis (third right) during Monday's first Test against England at the National Indoor Sports Centre. England won the game 52-32. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

FOLLOWING their worst defeat to England in recent history, Jamaica's world number three-ranked Sunshine Girls will be looking to rebound and save face when they meet the Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in the second match of their three-Test netball series at the National Indoor Sports Centre today at 6:30 pm.

The Jamaicans crashed to a 20-point loss (32-52) to their English counterparts in the opening game of the series at the same venue on Monday night.

"Overall our team didn't play well," coach Connie Francis told the Observer afterwards. "Senior players just didn't step up... our challenging in the defensive area was soft at times and we allowed England to just roll over us."

Former Jamaica Volleyball Association president and netball analyst, Carole Beckford, told the Observer that Monday's match was the "worst performance I've seen by a Jamaican netball team".

"It's obvious we've lost the basics in the game," Beckford, who has been to four World Netball Championships, said.

The last time the Jamaicans lost by a double digit margin to the world number four-ranked team was in January 2006 when they were beaten 37-53 (16 points) in the first game of a pre-Commonwealth Games warm-up series also inside the NISC. The Sunshine Girls went on to win the series 2-1 after victories in games two and three.

Coach Francis told the Observer there will likely be changes to the starting line-up from the first match for tonight's encounter.

Veteran player Sharon Wiles, who was due to return to the island last night, should start in centre, while newcomer Paula Thompson (goal defence), and captain/goal-shooter Elaine Davis are the other possibilities.

Meanwhile, the near-capacity crowd inside the indoor arena for a short period during Monday's encounter, forgot about what was happening on-court and turned their attention to the side-line as former Prime Minister and Minister of Sports, Portia Simpson Miller, entered the facility sometime after the half-time break.

To loud cheers and stomping, the former PM, accompanied by bodyguards, made a short jog around the side-court from the main entrance to the VIP area where current Sport Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange was already seated.

Monday's starting line-up: Jamaica: Romelda Aiken (GS), Simone Forbes (GA), Sasher-Gaye Henry (WA), Nadine Bryan (C), Nichala Gibson (WD), Kasey Evering (GD), Althea Byfield (GK).

England: Louisa Brownfield (GS), Pamela Cookey (GA), Janet Atkinson (WA), Jade Clarke (C), Amanda Newton (WD/captain), Sonya Mkloma (GD), Geva Mentor (GK).

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