A fresh start - Sunshine Girls ready to put disappointment of World Cup behind them in up-and-coming four-nation tournament

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December 31, 2019

Photo

England’s goal keeper Ama Agbeze (left) tries to intercept a pass to Jamaica’s Jhaniele Fowler while goal defence Layla Guscoth looks on during the third and final Lasco Sunshine Series game between Jamaica and England at the National Indoor Sports Centre on October 15, 2018.

National senior netballer Jhaniele Fowler says the Sunshine Girls have nothing to fear when they compete in next month’s Vitality Netball Nations Cup in England from January 19-26, 2020.

The four-nation tournament, which will be the first outing for the Sunshine Girls following their disappointing fifth-place showing at the Netball World Cup (NWC) in July, also includes the hosts, world champions New Zealand and South Africa.

Netball Jamaica has assembled a very rounded team, which includes seven players who competed at the NWC along with five newcomers.

Fowler, who captained the Sunshine Girls at the last NWC, told STAR Sports that they have it very hard in their build-up for the championships and they are now ready to put on good showing at the tournament.

“The players have done really well at training and they are really hungry to go out there and to showcase their skill set and show why they got selected,” said Fowler. “They know that they can do it and so they don’t have any fear of playing, and so I am really happy and proud of how they have progressing,” she said.

“I don’t think there is any pressure on us because we are just going to go out and play our best and take it one game at a time.”

She also noted that the 12-member squad is very balanced and is determined to put the recent disappointment behind them by topping this tournament.

“I think that the selectors did a very good job because I think that everyone has the talent and the capability to do well.

“To be honest, I feel very good about our chances based on the work that we have been putting in. It has been really good and we are looking forward to carry this over into these tough games

“It is not going to be easy for us, but I feel that we have the ability to withstand the pressures that are going to come in this series,” Fowler stated.

Besides Fowler, Shamera Sterling, Kadie-Ann Duhaney, Nicole Dixon, Khadijah Williams, Jodie-Ann Ward and Shanice Beckford are the other players, who represented the country at the NWC.

Latanya Wilson, Shannika Johnson, Shadian Hemmings, Gezele Nelson and Shimona Nelson are newcomers in the squad.