BARBADOS’ UNDER-21 NETBALLERS begin their quest to reach next year’s AFNA World Cup finals in Botswana with a one o’clock battle against Grenada this afternoon at the LB Scott Sports Auditorium, St Maarten.
The Sandra Bruce-Small squad has been acclimatising to conditions in the Dutch island and putting in valuable court time since arriving on Wednesday with an expected view to advancing as one of the three teams to make the finals. Along with Barbados and Grenada, the host St Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, St Kitts/Nevis and Canada make up the list of contenders.
The action begins at eleven with Canada facing former regional powerhouses Trinidad & Tobago and will end tonight with St Maarten taking on Argentina at 8:30 after the opening ceremony. Barbados will meet Canada tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.
Both Canada and Argentina had proved little contest against Barbados’ seniors in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Canada. However, the Bajans would be wary in assuming little from those matches since age tournaments seldom reveal much about the teams before they take to the court.
Day two tomorrow should see Barbados being more aware of the strength of five of their opponents with hopefully a first game victory over the Spice Isle lasses.
Barbados was forced to make a last minute change to the team with personal reasons seeing the stylish Dominique Browne being replaced by unrelated Sade Browne. Sade gives away a few inches in height to Dominique but she brings a level of experience gained from playing midcourt for Combermere and Pine Hill St Barnabas.
Sade has pedigree as one of the netball Brownes who have worn national colours with great success over the years. Today will commence the start of a new legacy for Sade and 11 other talented players who are eying a 2017 world finals in the African continent. (KB)
