Champs Aussies spank Sunshine Girls 48-43

KINGSTON: World netball queens Australia moved one step closer to keeping their crown, when they beat hosts Jamaica 48-43 in their final preliminary round game of the 2003 Cable & Wireless 11th World Netball Championships in front a vociferous crowd at the National Sports Centre, here last night.

The Sunshine Girls who lost a warm-up series 2-1 to the Aussies in May this year, made a spirited  effort. The first quarter ended 10-10, Jamaica led 21-20 at the half, but the Aussies took over for good 34-31 at the end of the third period. But with star goal-attack Eloise Southby in accurate form, the Jamaicans who fancied their chances of becoming only the second country apart from the Aussies, New Zealand and Trinidad and Tobago to win the coveted title, were nullified. Earlier, coach Maureen Hall said, “The game means a lot to us and we will be giving it our best shot.”

In addition to wanting to maintain their winning  momentum, the Sunshine Girls who won their opening four games were hoping to beat the Australians so as to avoid a semi-final clash with New Zealand. The much vaunted Silver Ferns last night extended their unbeaten run by beating England 60-41. Australia will be matched against England who recovered from their defeat to the Silver Ferns to beat Nuie 67-21 in the other semi-final.

Other scores last night: SAMOA (52) vs USA (44); GRENADA (31) vs SCOTLAND (53); ENGLAND (67) vs  NIUE (21); ST. VINCENT (71) vs CAYMAN (24); HONG KONG (25) vs NORTHERN IRELAND (58); BERMUDA (24) vs WALES (49); ST. LUCIA (47) vs CANADA (30); ANTIGUA/BARBUDA (59) vs SRI LANKA (67).