Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls have emerged victorious in the Margaret Beckford Sunshine Netball Series, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead with a thrilling 59-47 win over South Africa at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Thursday evening.

The Sunshine Girls delivered a dominant performance, with Shimona Jok leading the charge, scoring an impressive 35 goals from 37 attempts, the highest of the match. Goal attack Shanice Beckford also made significant contributions, adding 14 goals from 17 attempts, while goal defender Latanya Wilson, who was named Player of the Match, played a crucial role in Jamaica’s defensive efforts.

Jamaica controlled the game from the start, taking an 18-13 lead in the first quarter. They extended their advantage to 44-26 by halftime and maintained a strong hold on the game, with a 50-36 lead after the third quarter. South Africa fought hard but could not close the gap, as the Sunshine Girls sealed the win in the final quarter, finishing 59-47.

The win follows Jamaica’s 55-47 victory in the opening game on January 18, giving them an unbeatable 2-0 series lead with one game still to play.

The final match of the series will take place at the same venue on Saturday, where the Sunshine Girls will look to complete a clean sweep.

In the Under-21 match earlier in the evening, the South Africa Spar Baby Proteas continued their dominance, defeating Jamaica’s Under-21 team 49-32 to take a 2-0 lead in their three-match series.