By Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter
Netballers at Sabina Park: The World Netball Championship is scheduled for the National Arena, July 10 to 20, the Jamaica Netball Association has been selling the event, and on last Sunday the Jamaica squad was at Sabina Park where the West Indies were up against Sri Lanka in the second Cable & Wireless Test series. The netballers gave a short display during the tea interval, after that, they jogged around the field and were cheered all the way by the crowd. Pictured in action are Nadine Bryan (front left), Simone Forbes (right), Connie Francis, Carla Williams, and Elaine Davis, and further back, Tiffannie Wolfe, Kasey Evering, Nichala Gibson and Sharon Wiles. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
SHARPSHOOTER ELIZABETH Lincoln will be among the 12 players from Wales arriving in Kingston on Friday for the Cable & Wireless World Netball Championship July 10-20.
Lincoln, 34, has represented Wales at three World Championships, a Commonwealth Games, a host of other international events, and was called out of retirement to represent her country in this championship.
Since 1990 Lincoln has earned 73 international caps and will join forces with experienced team-mates Helen Case and Ursula Bowers, plus talented rookies Sara Hale and Anna Mayes as Wales seek to significantly improve their ranking.
Wales are ranked 14th in the world after the last World Championships in 1999 and coach Raewyn Henry is reportedly looking for big things to happen before she hands over leadership to new coach Julia Longville.
Their best finish was fifth at the 1979 Championship in Trinidad and Tobago.
The team, according to an on-line release at sportingwales.com, is on form for the Championship, and Henry is quietly optimistic of at least a top 12 finish.
"The preparation for the Championship has been going very well and the players have been working hard. St. Vincent are a good side, they recently gave Jamaica a good run for their money, so we're expecting a difficult and physical game of netball.
"We're going to go out there and give it our best shot. I'm really happy with the way the squad's developing and we have a good mix of experience and youth in the team," the site quoted her as saying.
Captain Joanna Griffith, who will be playing in her second World Championship, believes it's going to be tough. "It's going to be demanding when we're out there. We will be playing every day, and it's going to take a lot out of us."
Wales, who will be playing in its ninth World Championship, play their opening game against St Vincent and the Grenadines on July 10.
The 22 other visiting countries will continue their trek into the island over the next few days.
Hong Kong, Northern Ireland and third-ranked England are scheduled to arrive on July 6.
World champions Australia, who arrived in Jamaica yesterday en-route to Barbados for a practice series, will back on July 8.
