Last updated: 30/11/2007
Last Gasp Heartache for England’s Netballers

England’s netballers scored six goals inside the final three minutes of their Netball World Championships play off in Auckland, but it was not enough, and they lost the bronze medal play off to Jamaica by a heartbreaking 52 goals to 53.

England qualified for the quarter finals of the New World Netball World Championships as group winners, after defeating current world number 5 South Africa 62-32 in Auckland in their final group match. The win meant that England went on to face Malawi in the quarter finals where they thrashed the African side 81-37. They didn’t have enough to beat Australia in the semi-finals, losing 51-33 and so they came up against a mighty Jamaican side in the play-off’s.

The squad was made up of England’s best players from all over the country with many taking time off from playing in the Superleague to come to the Championships. University students and graduates also helped England progress to the play-off stages.

Pamela Cookey of Bath University had a fantastic game against Jamaica. Playing in the Goal Attack position, Cookey and her teammate Louisa Brownfield (Goal Shooter) refused to be overawed, and calmly slotted the goals as England clawed their way back into the match, trailing 11-16 at the first interval. Cookey was inspired in the second quarter, seeming to take every second pass as England looked for a way back into the game.

England coach Marg Caldow introduced TeamBath’s Tamsin Greenway at Wing Attack and moved Karen Atkinson to Centre for the third quarter as the side looked for a way to drive through centre court. However, the Jamaican attack, expertly controlled by Simone Forbes and Nadine Bryan, maintained their composure and the Sunshine Girls powered in to take the quarter 16-11.

However, the English challenge was not completely extinguished. Cookey cut loose, making interceptions through court and netting her shooting opportunities with ease, as well as releasing Brownfield into space. Goal by goal, England clawed their way ever closer to Jamaica, taking full advantage of the interceptions made by Ama Agbeze (a player for Loughborough Lightning) and Geva Mentor. With less than three minutes to go, England trailed 46-53. An interception by the ubiquitous Cookey, followed by some positive attacking play, drove England back into contention - and the gap closed goal by goal. With less than a minute on the clock, Brownfield netted the goal that brought England to within one, but with England in possession in the goal third, the final agonising whistle went, leaving Jamaica with the bronze medal 53-52.

Speaking after the game, coach Caldow said: “Jamaica came out firing and we were a bit slow out of the blocks, but I’m very proud of how the girls responded and how they came out hard, particularly towards the end. Jamaica played a very smart game, keeping the ball short and making us work for possession, and we found it hard to come back at them.”

Other students such as 18-year-old Jo Harten, who studies at the University of Bath, had a great tournament and played in the earlier stages for her country. In England’s first match against Barbados, Harten made some brilliant and consistent shots, with 23 out of 26 attempts going through the net in only the first quarter.

Fellow Bath student Sara Bayman played in the group stages against Malaysia when England dominated the game and took home an easy 99-16 victory.