LIVERPOOL, England — Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls will continue their quest for fifth place at the 2019 Netball World Cup when they take on Zimbabwe today at M&S Bank Arena.

Match time is 3:00 pm (9:00 am Jamaica time).

If the world number two-ranked Sunshine Girls win, they will book a place in Sunday’s fifth-place match against the winner of today’s encounter between Malawi and Uganda.

Yesterday, Jamaica closed out the second stage of the preliminaries with a 61-48 win over sixth-ranked Uganda which saw them take third place in Group G behind top team England and runners-up South Africa. Uganda were fourth.

In Group F, world number one Australia came out on top, while New Zealand were second. Malawi and Zimbabwe were third and fourth, respectively, in that group.

The semi-finals scheduled for tomorrow will feature England versus New Zealand and Australia versus South Africa.

Jamaica’s Romelda Aiken, who started at goal attack yesterday in support of goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler, said the team is determined to claim the consolation fifth place.

“We’re leaving no stone unturned for the rest of this tournament. Everyone we put out on court should be able to perform. We have been doing that in the last couple of games — loads of energy out there on court,” she told the Jamaica Observer during the mixed zone after the Uganda encounter.

“After [post-match] recovery we will definitely go home and watch them [Zimbabwe], see how they play and try to come up with a different game plan for them.”

Yesterday against Uganda, the Sunshine Girls were led by Fowler who scored 38 goals from 39 attempts. Aiken was nine from 11.

For Uganda, substitute goal shooter Peace Proscovia was perfect from her 28 attempts, while goal attack Racheal Nanyonga scored 12 from 19.

Jamaica were far from convincing in the opening 15 minutes, but seized a 13-9 advantage at the end of the quarter.

Holding a noticeable height and strength advantage, the Sunshine Girls imposed themselves in the second quarter and eased into a 35-20 half-time lead over their African opponents.

They took the pedal off the gas in the third period, but were still up 51-34 entering the fourth quarter before they completed a straightforward win.

Uganda assistant coach Bogere Nelson conceded that his players lost to the better team on the day.

“We started off well, though there was a lot of physicality. We lost a few balls here and there in mid court. We were behind the Sunshine Girls in terms of experience and height — we just couldn’t match up,” Nelson told the Observer.

Teams:

Jamaica — Jhaniele Fowler, Romelda Aiken, Khadijah Williams, Nicole Dixon, Vangelee Williams, Stacian Facey, Shamera Sterling.

Subs: Shanice Beckford, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Rebekah Robinson, Adean Thomas, Jodi-Ann Ward

Uganda — Stella Oyella, Racheal Nanyonga, Ruth Meeme, Jesca Achan, Sylvia Nanyonga, Lilian Ajio, Muhayimina Namuwaya.

Subs: Mary Nuba Cholock, Betty Kizza, Joan Nampungu, Stella Nanfuka, Peace Proscovia

Yesterday’s results

Northern Ireland 46, Barbados 43

Australia 50, New Zealand 49

Zimbabwe 43, Malawi 59

Trinidad and Tobago 43, Scotland 43

Jamaica 61, Uganda 48

South Africa 47, England 58

Today’s matches

First session

Sri Lanka vs Singapore

Samoa vs Fiji

Second session

Zimbabwe vs Jamaica

Malawi vs Uganda