Spar Proteas coach Jenny van Dyk says the team is ready to hit the ground running as they prepare to face Jamaica in the Margaret Beckford Sunshine Series, starting in Kingston, Jamaica, on Saturday.
The national team, led by captain Khanyisa Chawane, will take on Jamaica in a three-test series. South Africa last defeated Jamaica at the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool.
Coach Van Dyk explained that the team has been thoroughly prepared for this series, having done extensive research.
“We don’t often get a chance to play against Jamaica, and we are determined to be competitive.
“We beat Jamaica the last time we played here, and our assistant coach, Zanele Mdodana, was part of that team, so she can share valuable insights on what to expect,” she said.
However, Van Dyk acknowledged that playing against Jamaica presents a unique challenge due to their distinctive playing style, which has become even more formidable as most of their frontline players now compete in the Australian league.
“They are a very experienced team, with three fantastic shooters. Jamaica is now ranked third in the world, just behind Australia and New Zealand. We are thrilled to be playing them because, if we want to be the best, we must compete against the best,” she said.
Van Dyk emphasized that every match is part of the team’s preparation for both the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup. With that said, Van Dyk stressed that every time they step onto the court, they play to win.
“While we have the future in mind, we are focusing on what we must do now,” she added.
Captain Khanyisa Chawane shared the team’s excitement about playing Jamaica at home.
“We’re more accustomed to playing against Australia, New Zealand, and England, so this will be a very different experience.
“We know the crowd will be behind Jamaica, but we are ready to handle that. Our focus is on playing good netball,” Van Dyk said.
In addition to the senior team’s matches, the SPAR Baby Proteas will face the Jamaica U21 team in curtain-raiser games to the three tests, which will take place on Saturday, January 18, Wednesday, January 22, and Saturday, January 25.
𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗧 𝗕𝗘𝗖𝗞𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗫𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗦
Please note the time details below are in Jamaica time and SA time in brackets.
Saturday, 18 January
15:00 (EST) / 22:00 (SAST): Jamaica U-21 vs South Africa U-21
18:00 (EST) / 19 January 01:00 (SAST): Jamaica Sunshine Girls vs South Africa
Wednesday, 22 January
15:00 (EST) / 22:00 (SAST): Jamaica U-21 vs South Africa U-21
19:00 (EST) / 23 January 02:00 (SAST): Jamaica Sunshine Girls vs South Africa
Saturday, 25 January
15:00 (EST) / 22:00 (SAST): Jamaica U-21 vs South Africa U-21
18:00 (EST) / 26 January 01:00 (SAST): Jamaica Sunshine Girls vs South Africa
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: Broadcast information to be announced when available.
