By Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter
Jamaica's captain Oberon Pitterson looks to pass despite the defence of Australian shooter Sharelle McMahon during their Cable & Wireless World Netball Championship game at the National Indoor Sports Centre last night. Australia won 48-43. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
WORLD CHAMPIONS Australia survived a scorching 60 minutes against Jamaica's Sunshine Girls to come out 48-43 winners in their exciting Cable & Wireless World Netball Championship match-up at the National Indoor Sports Centre last night.
Starting with Carla Williams and Simone Forbes in the shooting circle, Nadine Bryan at wing attack, Sharon Wiles at centre and Georgia Gordon, Oberon Pitterson and captain Oberon Pitterson in defence, Jamaica got off to a shaky start but soon got into the game.
Australia scored four straight goals before the home side converted but the resilient team caught up, took the lead for the first time 10-9 before the visitors lock the score at 10-10 at the end of the first quarter.
"I expected them to come out as fast and as furious as they did. They really, really pushed us to the limit," Australia's coach Jill McIntosh said in a post match interview.
More heat was to come for the Aussies as the Jamaicans turned their game up a notch.
Three changes later, Jamaica increased the lead by three goals (18-15) and fans were ecstatic as they cheered themselves hoarse.
Then the lights went out.
With five minutes left in the second quarter the playing area was plunged into darkness, caused the announcer said by a power outage. This proved a God-send for the Aussies who took the more than 20 minutes break to regroup.
"The lights went out and we were grateful for that because it gave us time to compose ourselves. We were told of the possibility of the lights going out and it couldn't have happened at a better time because we were getting left behind and that was not a part of our plan," McIntosh said.
Fans meanwhile continued celebrating in the semi-dark arena but when the game resumed there was very little to cheer about.
Australia rallied hard and by half time pulled within a goal to trail 21-20.
DING-DONG BATTLE
Jamaica's monopoly on the lead was short-lived.
It was a ding-dong battle in the third quarter and the lead changed hands frequently before the Aussies capitalised on Jamaica's turnovers and commanded a lead of 34-31 at the end of the period.
Jamaica continued to play in spurts and Australia used a particularly vulnerable spell to race to an eight-goal lead of 41-33 in the last 15 minutes.
Time was running out but the Sunshine Girls were not about to go down without a fight and within minutes pulled within three goals of the lead (43-40).
Two missed centre passes later and the Aussies were celebrating a five-goal win.
The turnover rate for both teams was extremely high, 35 for Jamaica and 31 for Australia, and this McIntosh said was as a result of the pressure.
"We made so many mistakes it was unbelievable but then we were under so much pressure from Jamaica," she said.
Jamaica's coach Maureen Hall was awed. "To be playing at this level and committing so many turnovers is unbelievable. Two big teams met and it actually says a lot about the quality of the game," she said.
Shooting, Williams tallied 36 of 43 attempts for an 84 per cent average while Forbes had a clean seven of seven.
For Australia, Sharelle McMahon converted 27 of 32 attempts, Cynna Neele 16 of 23 and Catherine Cox five of nine tries.
