ANOTHER home game thriller for Jamaica saw them take out game one of the Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series against South Africa 55 goals to 47.

The crowd was another vocal one, loud enough where none of the players could hear the umpires whistle to complete the game so all players on the court kept going.

This was another South Africa team like no one has ever seen before.

There was no Karla Pretorius for the Proteas, giving youngsters Jamie van Wyk and Ané Retief a chance to step up for their country.

South Africa fired quickly from a footwork call to put two on the score board quickly. That was one of the only mistakes the Jamaicans would have in the first quarter.

After a first miss by Jamaican returnee Shimona Jok, she was fine from there and went back to what she was known for – accuracy and volume.

The vision into the goal circle and pickups were enough for the home side to gain significant enough of a lead to get their toes over the line.

Some misplaced passes in Jamaica’s attack let South Africa in enough to level the scores seven all.

All of a sudden, their defence woke up. Intercept after intercept by no other than Latanya Wilson around the circle edge and Shamera Sterling-Humphrey reading the play outside of the circle.

Regardless of the reputation of the Jamaican defence, South Africa played fearlessly in attack. They were more than willingly to give cross court and overhead passes. Rolene Streutker was winning the battle in the circle until a block from Sterling-Humphrey came with just two minutes left of the first quarter.

The ball continued going back-and-forth up-and-down the court and a goal from Streutker drew the first quarter 12 all.

Jamaica were quick to heave the ball into Jok but it paid off and they were scoring. The ball movement by both teams was puree class.

Nicola Smith went down hard in a challenge in the air mid way through the second term clutching her arm/wrist. Jamaica had their nose in front and Jok just couldn’t be beat in the air. She can just pluck the ball out of the space with no problem what so ever.

Shanice Beckford proved how much of a clutch player she is and always delivered in the pressure moments and always made it count.

Three quick goals in a row to Jamaica saw them take the lead out by six.

Jok took a heavy fall in the dying moments of the second quarter, hitting her head on the floorboards, but got up and looked fine.

A Streutker goal on the buzzer on a penalty kept the score 28 – 23 Jamaica’s way.

The change of Elmere van der Berg didn’t seem to be working when she came on as Sterling-Humphrey was all over every ball that went into her viscidity.

Jamaica continued on their merry ways into the third quarter. Once they got that dominant lead in the previous term, they never looked back and it was going to be difficult for the visitors no matter what.

Big efforts from Wilson saw her get an intercept when it looked like surely it was South Africa’s. But no, it had Wilson all over it who flicked the ball back to Sterling-Humphrey and were able to convert down the other end.

At this rate, Jok had been on the floor four times so far in the game.

In the blink of an eye, the Sunshine Girls established a lead of 10 goals.

The Proteas attack continued to fade away as both shooters kept doing the same movements as the Jamaican defence continued to suffocate their opposition.

Van der Berg took some pressure of South Africa’s shoulders with two late goals to take the scores 42 to 35 with Jamaica still leading going into the last break.

To reduce the score back, South Africa were up for a fight.

English born Brie Grierson got her debut for Jamaica in wing attack and kicked off her international campaign with fellow English born Rhea Dixon.

South Africa also decided to inject Nichole Breedt into goal attack which paid off.

Some poor decision making by both teams in the span of only a couple of minutes made the game look incredibly scrappy and the team to settle in those moments would get back on a roll, which in the end was Jamaica.

The Proteas just kept chipping away at the lead though with great grit from Khanyisa Chawane who always went hard for the ball just after a turnover. However the margin ultimately proved too big to conquer.

STARTING 7:

Jamaica

GS: Shimona Jok
GA: Shanice Beckford
WA: Khadijah Williams
C: Abigail Sutherland
WD: Latanya Wilson
GD: Jodi-Ann Ward
GK: Shamera Sterling-Humphrey

South Africa

GS: Rolene Streutker
GA: Kamogelo Maseko
WA: Khanyisa Chawane
C: Refiloe Nketsa
WD: Jeanté Strydom
GD: Jamie van Wyk
GK: Nicola Smith