England-born Brie Grierson is expected to make her much anticipated Sunshine Girls debut, as she has been listed in the 15-member squad for the upcoming three-game Sunshine Series against South Africa next month.
The games scheduled for January 18, 22, and 25 at the National Indoor Sporting Centre will see teams compete for the Margaret Beckford Trophy.
Grierson, who earns her Jamaican stripes through her father, is a versatile attacking player, plying her trade for next year’s Netball Superleague debutants, Nottingham Forest.
In fact, the 27-year-old did go through her paces with the Sunshine Girls on the England leg of the Horizon series and, as such, is expected to add value to the unit, which boasts a mix of experience and upcoming talents, as goal shooter Shimona Jok also makes a long-awaited return to the setup.
Ace defender Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, who led the team in their recent 2-1 Horizon Netball Series win over England, has again been appointed captain in the absence of Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, who is expecting her second child.
The third-ranked Sunshine Girls (189 ranking points) will be aiming to register another series win to possibly maintain or improve their rankings as they are a mere three ranking points off second-placed New Zealand (192 ranking points). Fifth-ranked South Africa (160 ranking points) will also be hoping to gather some momentum ahead of their Quad Series against fourth-ranked England (188 ranking points) in February 2025.
Sunshine Girls Head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry is well aware that South Africa will be no pushover but is expecting her team to rise to the occasion.
“We are happy with the squad chosen by the selectors; Shimona is back in the team and is expected to maintain the circle dominance that we are accustomed to, and we are just looking for her to gel with Shanice, who had an outstanding Horizon Series,” Henry said.
“Our defensive trio of captain Shamera, Jodi-Ann, and Latanya are exceptional, and we expect them to continue to excel. The mix of experience and emerging talent is also crucial to our development as we focus on preparation for the global tournaments in 2026 and 2027,” she added.
Meanwhile, Sterling-Humphrey urged Jamaican fans to come out and support the Sunshine Girls for the three-game series.
“We are so happy to be playing at home. The vibes in the Arena for the Horizon Series was a real boost for us. We are looking forward to seeing our fans fill the stands again, pot covers and all,” she said.
Both Jamaica and South Africa’s Under-21 teams will also be in action.
Squad: Shimona Jok, Shanice Beckford, Rhea Dixon, Mischa Creary, Simone Gordon, Abigale Sutherland, Khadijah Williams, Crystal Plummer, Brie Grierson, Adean Thomas, Shamera Sterling Humphrey (Captain), Latanya Wilson, Jody-Ann Ward, Theresa Beckford, Kimone Shaw