BIRMINGHAM, England – There were few wins for Jamaica on Friday’s opening day of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

In netball, Jamaica’s Sundshine Girls defeated Wales 72 – 43.

In squash, Chris Binnie advanced in the men’s singles after beating Ghana’s Evans Ayih 3-0, but compatriot Julian Morrison lost 3-0 to Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal.

The lawn bowls team of Robert Simpson and Mervyn Delano Edwards beat Norfolk Island 17-16 but were beaten 33-4 by Namibia later.

In one final that was completed on the first day, Phillip McCatty was 37th in the men’s sprint triathlon in 1 hour, six minutes and 33 seconds.

In badminton that was contested at the NEC Hall, Jamaica lost both team games, 2-3 to South Africa and 5-0 to Malaysia.

In the match against South Africa, there were wins for Samuel Ricketts over Caden Kakora 2-0 in men’s singles and Ricketts and Joel Angus beat Jarred Elliot and Robert Summers 2-0 in the men’s doubles.

The rugby sevens team also had a poor start, losing both games by a combined 107-0 score, losing 62-0 to Australia 45-0 to Kenya.

In team indoor cycling, the trio of Zoe Boyd, Daniel Palmer and Malik Reid were seventh in their men’s team sprint qualifying in 49.845 seconds, more than seven seconds off the winners Australia.

In the swimming pool at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, despite winning his men’s 100m back stroke heat in 57.80 seconds, Olympian Keanan Dols failed to get into the top 16 for a spot in the semi-finals.

Nathaniel Thomas was fourth in another heat in 1:00.27 seconds.

Sidrell Williams was eighth in his heat of the men’s 50m butterfly in 25.32 seconds; Mackenzie Headley was seventh in her women’s 50m breaststroke in 33.85 seconds; Zeneta Alvaranga was third in her Women’s 100m butterfly

in 1:03.02 seconds while Kelsie Leigh Campbell was eighth in her heat in 1:04. 32 and Kito Campbell was sixth in his men’s 200m breaststroke heat in 2:29.95 seconds.

-Paul A Reid