Jamaica did not stick to plan

According to the assistant coach Annette Daley, Jamaica's Sunshine Girls lost their way when they diverted from the game plan in yesterday's semi-finals against defending champions and hosts New Zealand at the World Netball Championship (WNC) in Auckland.

The Jamaicans led for the first two quarters, but eventually lost 49-59 to the hosts. They led 16-13 at the end of the first quarter and 30-26 at half-time. By the end of the third period, they were trailing marginally 39-40.

"The performance for the two first quarters was going according to plan. Everything was working well as they were getting the job done," said Daley, who is also the coach of Denbigh High school's netball team. "A little indiscipline crept in and we brought New Zealand back into the game in the third quarter and, in the last quarter, they did not stick to the game plan as they should have and New Zealand capitalised on that."

Romelda Aiken, with 30 goals from 32 attempts, and Simone Forbes, 19 from 23, accounted for Jamaica's scoring, while Irene Van Dyk 41 from 44 and Jodi TE Huna 18 from 29, were the leading scorers for the Kiwis.

Captain Elaine Davis, who did not play in the team's quarter-final game against Samoa after suffering a sprained ankle against Singapore, was available but not used in the semi-finals. Daley says the coaching staff didn't see the need for a change.

"We started Romelda (Aiken) because she has been shooting pretty well throughout the championships," Daley said. "She is also the leading goal shooter in the competition and it was working out because she was causing problems for the New Zealand defenders and therefore we didn't think we should fix what was not broken."

Early this morning, the Jamaicans took on England in the third place play-off.