Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

Jamaica's Sunshine Girls will play two, two-Test series against New Zealand and Australia in July this year, as the country continues its build-up to the World Netball Championships (WNC) in November in New Zealand.

New Zealand are the world netball champions, having won the title at the last championships in Jamaica in 2003. The Australians, runners-up in that final, are ranked number two.

The Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) president, Marva Bernard, told The Gleaner yesterday that the Test series are geared towards giving a number of new players the opportunity to travel and to get themselves acclimatised for the WNC at year-end.

"It is going to be cold down there and some of the girls will be going down there for the first time, so it's a great opportunity for them and the coach to look at what we have and also get us fully prepared for the world championships in New Zealand later this year," said Bernard.

Ruth Aitken, coach of New Zealand, said in a press release that playing five Tests against top opposition was an important part of the preparationfor the Silver Ferns' WNC campaign.

"Australia and Jamaica always provide strong competition and it will be great to face them in July," said Aitken, who will play the Australians in a three-Test series.

First match

The Sunshine Girls will first play Australia in Melbourne on July 5, with the return game set for Sydney three days later.

The Jamaicans, who are ranked number three in the world, will then travel to New Zealand where they will oppose the hosts in another two-match series. The first Test match will be played on July 12 in Christchurch, with the return game set for Auckland two days later.