Kelly expresses disappointment at postponed series

National netballer Malysha Kelly says the Sunshine Girls are disappointed by the postponement of their four-Test series against hosts England this month.

The postponement comes after the discovery of a new variant of the coronavirus in Britain, which is said to be as much as 70 per cent more transmissible than previously discovered versions. This led the Jamaican Government to enforce a travel ban on that nation until January 31.

Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson also announced a nationwide lockdown of his country on Monday.

Kelly says that the Sunshine Girls were looking forward to the series but they fully understand the decision behind the postponement because the safety of the players and management comes first.

"I am disappointed, but it is understandable, and as you can see, the UK is under severe lockdown," she told STAR Sports. "However, it is disappointing to all of us because we have been training and we wanted to compete, but the decision was in the best interest of our safety at the moment.

"It is now cancelled and it is postponed, so we can look at a later date to have the series when it is better and safer for everybody."

Kelly, a 30-year-old former captain of the Sunshine Girls team, was scheduled to make her first appearance for Jamaica in almost four years after being away with a series of knee injuries.

She said that she was looking forward to making her presence felt in the series because she has worked hard in its build-up.

"I am anxious to play, but if it is that I have to wait a little longer, then I just have to wait for another opportunity." Kelly said. "I am fit because I am in training, managing all aspects of what I am doing."

Kelly ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee during a training session with her New Zealand-based ANZ Premiership club Southern Steel in March 2018. She had surgery a month later but suffered a setback four months into her recovery, which led to a second corrective procedure.

"It has been very tough for me, but the injury is not something that you just get over, it is just something that you go through in terms of it becoming a part of you mentally, and I am now fit and ready to play."

Kelly, who has more than 40 caps for Jamaica, last represented the Sunshine Girls in 2017 at the Fast5 tournament in New Zealand.