Having been overlooked by Netball Jamaica’s selectors for this year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, experienced Sunshine Girls defender Malysha Kelly is now hoping to use the country’s three-Test series against rivals England next month to cement her spot on the team for next year’s Netball World Cup.

Kelly, who was once rated as one of the best defenders in the world, last represented the Sunshine Girls in a three-Test away series against England in 2021. The Sunshine Girls will enter the series without top defenders Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson, plus centre Adean Thomas, who all played vital roles in helping the country to secure the historic silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, in August.

The 32-year-old Kelly, who has now fully recovered from a knee injury, told the Jamaica Observer that the upcoming series provides a massive opportunity for her to impress the Jamaican selectors in her quest to secure her place on the team for World Cup, which will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, July 28 to August 6 next year.

“This is very important to me personally because a bunch of things can come from this series for me. It is a World Cup year and so it allows me to see where I am and what I need to work on,” she said.

“I am feeling confident going into this series because I think that I am further than I was last year at this time and so I am very upbeat going into these matches against England,” Kelly added.

She sang the praises of the depth of the defensive department.

“Our defensive unit is really good and I think that this series will help them [selectors] to see where you are at this time, but a lot of things can change as we get closer the World Cup next year, but it certainly can help you to make the team to the World Cup,” Kelly stated.

The Sunshine Girls are currently ranked third in the world, one place above England, and according to Kelly, the series is a very vital series for the Jamaicans as they look to maintain their position above their opponents.

“I think that even though we don’t have our starting defensive line up from the Commonwealth Games we still do have a great set of girls that have been working very hard going into this series,” she said.

“This is also a pressured test series and we should not take it lightly because we are third and England is fourth and this series is going to determine if we stay at third or if England will move up past us in the rankings,” Kelly went on.

Meanwhile, Sunshine Girls Captain Jhaniele Fowler said she is delighted to have Kelly back into the team for the series.

“I am happy that she has gotten this opportunity again because she has been working really hard to get back to a place where she can be very dominant again,” she noted.

“Her experience will be great for us, especially down in the defensive end where we have a few young players and so I know that she will step in and do her best for us in this series,” Fowler went on.

Game one in the series is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11 at the AO Arena in Manchester, with the second match set for three days later at the Copperbox Arena in London. The final game is set for the same venue on January 15.