Veteran n-ballers bid for World place

The “Calypso Girls” netballers will be battling for a top two position in this AFMA series to qualify for next year’s 12th edition of the World Netball Championships in Suva, Fiji.

They have named eight members of the “Calypso Girls” team which finished third, tied with St Vincent at the 21st Caribbean Netball Association Championships here two years ago. Those retained are Crystal George, Anastascia Wilson, Tricia Liverpool, Simone Morgan, Janelle Barker, Simone Bowen-Sandy, Sonia Jack and Natalie Pierre.

And they have recalled Glennis Hall, Rhonda John-Davis and Anika LaRoche from the 11th World Netball Championship team along with Lystra “Twinkletoes” Zamore who has been out of international netball for quite some time. The recalled John-Davis is 29, Wilson 32, Zamore 30, LaRoche 29, Hall 29, Morgan 30, Bowen-Sandy 34, Barker 29 and Jack 28. George is 22, Liverpool 24 and Pierre 26.

Trinidad and Tobago netballers have been struggling in the Caribbean lately being soundly beaten 68-54 by Barbados and 56-31 by Jamaica who because of their world number three position are automatic qualifiers.

Top five teams at the last world series — champions New Zealand, Australia, Jamaica, England, South Africa are automatic qualifiers according to the new International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) rules.

According to the fixtures issued by AFNA, the “Calypso Girls” netballers will open against St Kitts/Nevis on Friday.

And they take on the United States who whipped them and finished one place ahead in ninth at the last World Championships in Jamaica on Saturday.

Trinidad and Tobago play Guyana next day then they meet St Vincent, Canada, Antigua and finally hosts Barbados on August 20.

The “Calypso Girls” netballers squad selected: Tricia Liverpool, Simone Morgan, Lystra Zamore, Janelle Barker, Crystal George, Sonia Jack, Anika LaRoche, Rhonda John-Davis, Glennis Hall, Natalie Pierre, Anastascia Wilson, Simone Bowen-Sandy.

Coach is Grace Parkinson-Griffith.