Sunshine Girls-Roses clash in jeopardy

The Sunshine Girls’ much-anticipated Horizon Vitality Series against long-time rivals England is now in jeopardy following the devastating impact of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which ravaged the western end of Jamaica last Tuesday and has claimed the lives of more than 30 Jamaicans.

The Gleaner has learned that Netball Jamaica (NJ) and the England Netball Association have been locked in high-level discussions regarding the possible cancellation of the entire four-match series because of the extensive damage the island sustained during the hurricane.

Efforts to contact NJ President Karen Rosen for a comment proved futile, as multiple calls to her mobile phone went unanswered.

The 2025 Horizon Vitality Series was set to feature two home games for Jamaica at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on December 6 and 7, followed by two away fixtures at the Copper Box Arena in London, England, on December 13 and 14.

The Sunshine Girls were already facing selection challenges heading into the series, as several of their top players had made themselves unavailable for various personal and professional reasons.

It is understood that captain Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, along with Romelda Aiken-George, Shimona Nelson-Jok, and Latanya Wilson, have all withdrawn from the squad. Shamera Sterling-Humphrey recently gave birth, while Jodi-Ann Ward is recovering from surgery.

The unavailability of these key players would have left the Sunshine Girls severely short-handed for the upcoming series, which was expected to serve as an important part of their preparation for next year’s Netball World Cup qualifiers.

The Sunshine Girls won the inaugural Horizon Vitality Series between the two teams in 2024, 2–1. Game one, played at the O2 Arena in London, ended in a draw, before England took game two. However, the Jamaicans stormed back to win games three and four on home soil to clinch the series.