ENGLAND Roses have sent a message to the rest of the netballing world with a dominant 19-goal win over Jamaica overnight to secure the Roses Reunited series. The Roses were coming off a strong performance against the Sunshine Girls last week, but showed no mercy early as they piled on 35 goals to 19 by half-time to run away with the 66-47 victory. Natalie Haythornthwaite was named Player of the Match for her incredible court coverage and feeding across the first three quarters, while coach Jess Thirlby was able to rotate her entire bench onto the court in the win at Nottingham.

ENGLAND 21 | 14 | 14 | 17 (66)
JAMAICA 13 | 6 | 14 | 14 (47)

After a relatively even start to game one where Jamaica showed promising signs against the Roses and even led at the first two breaks, game two was a counter contrast. Jamaican coach Connie Francis mixed up her midfield by putting Gezelle Allison into wing attack and Shadian Hemings into wing defence, providing some extra height through there. Unfortunately for the Sunshine Girls, the quick and dangerous Roses midcourt sliced them up, with Serena Guthrie and Haythornthwaite both providing immense pressure on the ball carrier, and Beth Cobden doing a wealth of work in the defensive and middle thirds.

Thirlby rewarded Eleanor Cardwell and Eboni Usoro-Brown with starts at either end after their outstanding work in game one, and it both reaped rewards, as Cardwell had scored eight goals to Jamaica’s two at one stage, with the Roses up 9-2 in the first 10 minutes. Francis was forced to backtrack on her starting wing attack, calling on Khadijah Williams instead. It did help the game, with the remainder of the quarter effectively even. Previously well held by Usoro-Brown, shooting machine Jhaniele Fowler scored nine goals in the second half of the term – after just two in to that point.

The one-on-one battle between Shamera Sterling and Cardwell was fascinating, with both not taking a backwards step. Sterling was playing goal defence, but moved into keeper for the second term, with Cardwell and Jo Harten in tune with each other. The feeding from Guthrie and Haythornthwaite only got better, as the English side went from eight goals up at quarter time, to 16 at the main break. Though Jamaica was able to restrict the Roses early courtesy of Malysha Kelly replacing Kadie-Ann Dehaney, the floodgates opened up in the second half of the quarter.

It looked like a different Jamaican outfit in the early stages, with Harten missing a couple of shots, and Fowler scoring up the other end. The Sunshine Girls looked to have got the formula right with high balls in to the 198cm shooter who was delivering under the post with little the smaller Usoro-Brown could do. Sterling and Kelly also seemed to be restricting the flow and blocking the space in attack, and at one point the Sunshine Girls had scored 4-2 and cut the deficit back to six. Enter Helen Housby.

The NSW Swifts star was injected into the play and immediately provided the dash and spread that broke open the attack again, earning Harten a rest. Housby took more of the load off Cardwell, scoring seven goals in eight minutes, as the Swifts’ partnership between Haythornthwaite and Housby was showing on an international level. Latanya Wilson was moved into wing defence to try and restrict Haythornthwaite’s impact, but whilst she played well, the wing attack was just on song. Adean Thomas came into centre and Allison was brought on in goal attack, but England was right on top.

Allison scored her first goal with 1:45 left in the half, and whilst Jamaican had wrestled back momentum early in the term, England scored 10 of the last 12 goals to lead 35-19 at half-time. During the break, Francis brought on her starting seven to give them a second chance in the second half, whilst England remained the same as the Roses ended at half-time.

The second half was much more even, with the third term being a level 14-14 between the sides. Wilson set the tone early with a rare turnover from Guthrie, but then the next pass resulted in a turnover right back into Roses hands. Cardwell brought up her 20th goal and was level with Jamaica at that point, before she came off with five minutes left in the term, and Harten slotting into goal shooter. Jamaica had more highlights in the quarter, with Dehaney producing a great tip, and the Sunshine Girls racing it down the court in transition, but the last feed into the circle often brought them undone.

The last change of the term saw the experienced Jade Clarke come on for Guthrie, which pleased the Nottingham crowd. A long bomb from Harten late in the term ensured the Roses drew level with the Sunshine Girls, but the signs were promising for Jamaica. With the lead still at 16 goals, Thirlby brought on the remaining two bench players with Stacey Francis-Bayman coming on for Guscoth in goal defence, and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis taking over from Haythornthwaite who had earned a rest.

Drakeford-Lewis might have lacked Haythornthwaite’s experience, but she brought the energy, and with Clarke, the pair was able to feed into Harten and Housby. England continued on their merry way, with Jamaica rushing a lot of passes into the circle making the job easier for Usoro-Brown and Francis-Bayman who were both tipping passes and intercepting errant balls. They filled space well and ensured the Roses extended their lead further. Despite Fowler’s best efforts in shooter, the midcourt breakdown hurt, and the Roses won the term 17-14 for an overall 19-goal win of 66-47.

Haythornthwaite deservedly earned best on court honours, though there were many who stood up on the day. Usoro-Brown was again sensational on Fowler, Guthrie’s work through the middle was tireless, Cobden provided that intercepting spark at wing defence, and the three shooters all contributed making team selection difficult for the third and final test tomorrow.