A confident Jamaican Sunshine Girlz team will leave the island on Monday (December 8) en route to London to face the England Roses in two netball matches on December 13 and 14, with proceeds from the games going toward Hurricane Melissa relief through World Central Kitchen.

The series was slated to open with two matches in Kingston on December 6 and 7 at the National Indoor Sports Centre, but those two games have been cancelled, and instead they will only play at London’s Copper Box Arena for the final two contests on December 13 and 14.

The Sunshine Girls are hoping to defend their title after winning the inaugural Horizon Vitality Series 2-1 last year, and team manager Maureen Brown told Our Today that the depleted team is ready and raring to go despite missing key senior members.

“The preparation has been going very well. We will not be having some of our top players, but notwithstanding that, we’re going to put on a good show. The ladies have shown their worth, and they’re prepared to fight to the end,” said Brown.

Jamaica will be without inspirational captain Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, along with stalwarts Romelda Aiken-George, Shimona Nelson-Jok, Latanya Wilson, and Kadie-Ann Dehaney all withdrew from selection for personal and professional reasons.

In addition, star defender and one of the world’s best, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, is out following childbirth, and Jodi-Ann Ward continues to recover from surgery.

It is a tall task for the Sunshine Girls, but they will welcome back 33-year-old Vangelee Williams, coming out of retirement after a five-year hiatus.

“With Vangelee Williams coming back into the squad after going into retirement, she’s going to give a good account of herself to show that she still has it and she still knows how to do this,” said Brown.

“Everybody’s going to come out and fight. We want to maintain our position (ranking) or even to step up a little further. We’re going out there. We’re not going to take them lightly. So, we’re going to there to do our best,” Brown noted.

“We’re missing some of our top players and, you know, we have the young ones coming up. They want to go out there and show what they are worth. So, everybody’s going to come out and fight,” she pointed out.

Jamaica will be depending on the likes of goalshooters Shanice Beckford, Rhea Dixon, Simone Gordon, Gezelle Allison and Mischa Creary; centre court players Khadijah Williams, Adean Thomas, Abigale Sutherland, Crystal Plummer and Zaudi Green, as well as defenders Kimone Shaw, Theresa Beckford, Roxanna McLean and Paula-Ann Burton and the returning Williams.

The games will be broadcast on CVM TV with match time 9:00 am Jamaica time.