JAMAICA’S Sunshine Girls and New Zealand’s Fast Ferns emerged leaders at the end of day one of the sixteam Fast5 Netball World Series at Auckland’s Vector Arena in New Zealand, yesterday. The two teams lead with four points, with the Fast Ferns gaining their total from two games, while the Sunshine Girls have played one more.

The leaders are followed by Fast Flyers on two, England Fives, also on two, with Malawi Queens and South Africa yet to get off the ground. Each team has played two games. The Sunshine Girls opened their account yesterday with a 35- 28 victory over South Africa’s SPAR Proteas.

They then went down to the Fast Ferns 22-43, before closing out the day with a narrow 37-35 victory over the Malawi Queens. In their curtain-raiser, handling errors and misdirected passes haunted both sides in the first quarter, perhaps due to nerves, but it was the Jamaican Sunshine Girls, who took charge midway through the quarter, led by the exceptional defence from Shamera Sterling, who played a key role in her team leading the first quarter 9-6.

Choosing to use their power play card in the second quarter, which awards teams with double points, the Sunshine Girls extended their lead with quick hands, and fast play heading into the half-time break leading by 16 goals. South Africa held the mentality that they were no easy target, using their power play in the third quarter and fighting their way back to within five goals, also gaining praise of Jamaica’s cocaptain, Romelda Aiken, who admitted that the side’s long shots caused complications for the Jamaicans.

But heading into the final quarter by only seven goals, it was do or die for the Sunshine Girls, but their stunning aerial play proved too much for the SPAR Proteas in the end. In their second game the defending champions Fast Ferns proved too strong for the Sunshine Girls to lead by five at the end of the first quarter.

The visitors had a better effort in the second quarter and with the power play in the mix, Jhanielle Fowler landed an exceptional three-pointer shot to put them in the lead for the first time in the match. But the momentum came to a halt when an injury time was called for goalkeeper Shameera Sterling, and she was assisted to the side with what appeared to be a mild ankle injury.

Disappointed with her side straying from the game plan, coach Oberon Pitterson- Nattie admitted the Sunshine Girls were simply outplayed. “I felt we weren’t very disciplined in our game, we didn’t stick to what we had worked out or what we had planned.

I

think that they tried, they really worked hard to get it down there, but we just deviated from the plan.” Though it wasn’t all misery for the bright and bubbly Sunshine Girls, fans got the unexpected opportunity to see netball idol Romelda Aiken out of her comfort zone and stepping in as goalkeeper — a reminder that the tall Jamaican players are useful in all areas of the court.

The winning side was already determined by halftime as the Ferns ran away with the match, helped by a couple of six-pointer shots from Maria Tutaia, proving they are serious contenders for a championship repeat. Meanwhile, the Girls played their hearts out in their final game against an eager, determined Malawi Queens. In what many would rate the best game of the night, the two talented sides fought it out to secure a higher seed heading into today’s matches, knowing that every game counts in the short series.

Practically neck and neck for most of the game, the teams displayed sharp, dynamic and aerial passages of play in a bid to send the ball down to their respective shooters. Malawi appeared to be the favourite in the first quarter with their consistent shooting, leading by one point through to the second quarter. Opting for their power play, they pulled away to lead by 10 goals.

“Honestly, I knew we had to win, so it was nothing but net for me. We’re not underestimating any team at all — we know Malawi can shoot well, they’re very fast and we expected anything from them, so we just needed to step up to the plate,” said Fowler.

The third quarter marked the start of a new game for the Jamaicans, who displayed outstanding attacking sequences, sending the ball in to Fowler and Thristina Harwood.

Leading by only one point after a successful power-play third quarter, and with outstanding defensive performances from Aiken and Sterling, the Sunshine Girls grew in confidence, matching the Queens goal for goal into the dying minutes of the match. An outstanding two-pointer from Fowler with only seconds remaining secured the win for the determined and exhausted side.