FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (CMC):
JAMAICA, FRESH from a pre-tournament series win over world number one ranked Australia, have drawn South Africa as their only top-10-rated rival in their group for the 2005 World Youth Netball Championship (WYNC) in Florida this summer.
Jamaica, ranked number two in the world because they were beaten finalists against Australia at the last WYNC in Cardiff five years ago, will face South Africa, Canada, Bermuda, and the United States of America (USA) in Zone-B of the July 21-31 championship at the Broward Convention Centre.
The Australians, who have dominated the WYNC with three titles since its inception in 1988, are in Zone-A with St. Lucia, Malaysia, Cook Island and Scotland.
The in form New Zealand, who scored recent wins over Australia and Jamaica, are aiming to better their third place finish at the 2000 WYNC and will be up against Antigua and Barbuda, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Botswana in Zone-C.
Zone-D will have Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, Samoa, and England, who placed fourth in Cardiff.
At the 2000 tournament in Wales, Australia defeated Jamaica 58-47 in the final and New Zealand snatched third spot with a 63-47 victory over England.
