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• England Roses defeat Sunshine Girls 55-47 to take 1-0 lead in Vitality Netball Horizon Series; team heads back to Jamaica for final two games

  England Roses Defeat Sunshine Girls to Take 1-0 Lead in Horizon Series

  England’s Roses secured a 1-0 series lead against Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls on Sunday with a hard-fought 55-47 victory in Manchester during the second match of the Netball Horizon Series. The result followed a thrilling 49-49 tie in the series opener on Saturday.

  The match showcased the contrasting styles of the two teams, with England capitalizing on crucial turnovers and maintaining composure under pressure, while Jamaica struggled to sustain their momentum in critical moments. England started strong, leading 12-8 at the end of the first quarter. However, Jamaica responded with intensity, applying pressure all over the court to edge ahead 23-21 late in the second quarter. England regained control before halftime, thanks to unforced errors by Jamaica, to tie the score 24-24 going into the break.

  The third quarter proved pivotal, as England upped their defensive intensity. The Roses forced several turnovers during Jamaica’s attempts to find Romelda Aiken-George in the circle, creating opportunities to extend their lead. Despite a spirited rally by the Sunshine Girls to close within two goals late in the quarter, England held firm to enter the final quarter with a 39-35 advantage.

  Turnovers continued to plague the Sunshine Girls in the final quarter, and though they fought valiantly to narrow the gap to 42-41 with 10 minutes to play, England’s relentless pressure proved decisive. The Roses forced critical errors that disrupted Jamaica’s rhythm, pulling away in the closing stages to secure a comfortable win.

  Jamaica’s head coach, Sasher-Gaye Henry, reflected on her team’s struggles in the second half, particularly during the third quarter when England took command. “I think we struggled today in the latter part of the game in terms of getting our balls through the court and getting it on top of circle’s edge,” Henry said. “I think the movement was a little stagnant. It’s something we have to look at and correct quickly going into Game 3.”

  Henry also highlighted the team’s focus on rotating players to assess different combinations. “It’s about building players, and we want to see rotation,” she explained. “I think we didn’t do a lot with rotation yesterday, so today we wanted to see where the players are at, to see what combination works. We are grateful for that opportunity.”

  On the substitution of Shanice Dixon, who limped off and was replaced by Rhea Dixon, Henry noted, “We are looking for more options in our goal attack. Both are options, and we still have to rotate them. I think both did well tonight.”

  The Sunshine Girls will look to regroup when the series shifts to Jamaica for the final two matches at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on November 25 and December 2. With England leading the series, Jamaica will need to address their turnover issues and refine their attack if they hope to level the series and keep their hopes alive.

  The Sunshine Girls, known for their resilience, will be determined to defend home court and prove their mettle against a confident England Roses team.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Crystal clear: Sunshine Girl Plummer sets sights on series, future success after stalemate with England in Horizon Series opener

  Sunshine Girl Crystal Plummer is no stranger to high-pressure situations, but Jamaica’s dramatic 49-49 draw against England in the opening game of the four-match Horizon Netball Series was an experience that even she found exhilarating.

  Still, as the Sunshine Girls look to improve in the second match on Sunday, Plummer is focused on channeling the lessons from Saturday’s thrilling contest into consistent success for the remainder of the series and, by extension, her career.

  “It was a rollercoaster of emotions,” Plummer told SportsMax.Tv as she reflected on the match played at the AO Arena in Manchester.

  “There were moments when we should have had the upper hand and allowed England to slip. But that’s what makes netball so exciting—it’s a constant test of resilience and focus. All in all, I’m super excited to be back on the international stage, and I am just looking to build on the lessons as they come,” she added.

  Plummer, who started at centre before being substituted at the beginning of the second quarter, acknowledged the intense pace of the match. Both teams traded turnovers early on, but it was England who managed to pull away in the second quarter to establish a 26-20 halftime lead. 

  

  Despite sitting out portions of the game, Plummer remained a vocal presence on the sidelines, urging her teammates to push through their challenges.

  Though they eventually rallied in the last two quarters, it was the comeback from two goals down in the closing seconds of the final quarter to level the game that really took the prize.

  “Our team showed so much heart. We made some errors, but we also demonstrated how capable we are of bouncing back, so basically it is a case of all the hard work we put in that paid off. The way we rallied in the third and fourth quarters was truly inspiring,” Plummer opined.

  “Those last few minutes were nerve-wracking. Again, we had chances in which we could have opened up big leads, but we let it slip. That’s something we’ll address as a team because we know we have what it takes to win these tight games,” she noted.

  That said, Plummer believes consistency will be the key to victory as the Sunshine Girls look to gain the upper hand in the second game of the series on Sunday.

  “We’ve shown that we can match England in every aspect, but it’s about sustaining that level of play for all four quarters. If we can clean up our errors and stay composed under pressure, I’m confident we’ll come out on top. We just have to take things one quarter at a time,” Plummer stated.

  

  The talented 22-year-old, who has been a pivotal player for Jamaica since her debut at the Americas qualifiers on home soil in 2022, is also eager to step up her individual performance.

  “As a midcourt player, my role is to connect the defence and attack seamlessly, so I want to be sharper in my decision-making and ensure that I’m providing the best support to my teammates on court,” said Plummer, who was a part of the bronze medal-winning Netball World Cup team.

  “I always tell myself that I am a hard cookie who will battle to the very end, and I am very confident in my abilities, which is why I consistently set goals and then put in the mental and physical work to ensure I fulfil them. So my goals for this series have already been locked in, and so I just want to put my best foot forward for myself and the team,” she declared.

  While her immediate focus is on helping Jamaica secure a series win, Plummer also has her eyes set on long-term goals. With the next Netball World Cup scheduled for 2027, she is determined to elevate her game and contribute to Jamaica’s quest for global dominance.

  “This series is a great opportunity to test ourselves against one of the top teams in the world, but it’s also a stepping stone for bigger things. We want to keep building and ensure that when the World Cup comes around, we’re ready to challenge for the title. For now, it’s about putting it all together because I believe our best is yet to come, and I’m excited to be part of this journey,” the jovial Plummer ended.

• Red Force hammer Pride by nine wickets on the back of 173-run second wicket partnership from Ottley and Jangoo

  Defending champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force comprehensively beat the Barbados Pride by nine wickets at the Queen’s Park Oval on Saturday to secure their spot in the semi-finals of the CG United Super50 Cup.

  A delay to the start of proceedings due to some wet spots on the field from rain the night before meant the game was reduced to 45 overs per team.

  Leniko Boucher and Raymon Reifer hit fifties to lead the Pride to 258-9 from their 45 overs after being put in to bat by the Red Force.

  Boucher top scored with 81 off 72 balls including 10 fours and a six while Reifer hit 70 off 94 balls including three fours and two sixes.

  Yannic Cariah took 4-53 from nine overs and was supported well by Mark Deyal who grabbed 3-32, also from nine overs.

  An unbeaten 173-run second wicket partnership from Kjorn Ottley and Amir Jangoo then led the Red Force to 259-1 in 43.3 overs.

  Ottley led the way with 112* off 132 balls including 11 fours and two sixes while Jangoo finished not out on 93 off 96 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes.

  Tion Webster had earlier made 41.

  The Red Force ended their league phase campaign with an impressive 64 points from seven games and will be one of the favorites to lift the title when all is said and done.

  Despite the heavy loss, the Pride, with 46 points from their seven games, should still find themselves in the last four.