U-21s, England set for exciting duel

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

With the World Youth Netball Championships (WYNC) less than four months away, Jamaica's Under-21 team and their English counterparts will intensify their preparations today when they meet in the opening game of their three-Test series at the G.C. Foster College, starting at 5 p.m.

The Jamaicans, who will be looking to rebound from their 3-0 series defeat to Australia last month, have strengthened their line-up with the inclusion of their overseas-based defender Afrika Morris and their coach, C. Lloyd Walker, is confident his young Sunshine Girls can rebound.

"I am looking for a much-improved series from the girls than what we showed against the Australians in our last series because we have spent a lot more time together gelling as a unit," said Walker.

"We are preparing for the Cook Islands in August and we really don't want to peak our team at this time," noted Walker.

Exciting SERIES

England's coach, Anna Mayes, expects an exciting series.

"We are not going to underestimate this Jamaican side because they recently played against the Australian team and they have had a similar scoreline like we did against them last year," said Mayes.

"We know that it is going to be tough series for us and we are expecting a very physical and highly competitive three-Test matches from them," she said.

The England team includes two members of the senior team, which recently defeated the Sunshine Girls 3-0 in a Test series in the United Kingdom. They are captain Eboni Beckford and vice-captain Jo Harpen, who converted 24 goals from 35 attempts in their warm-up game against Tivoli Gardens last Saturday that they lost 57-51..

The second match in the series will be played tomorrow and the final game on Thursday, all at the same venue.