National shooter Romelda Aiken tussles with Trinidad and Tobago's goalkeeper, Alicia Liverpool, for a high ball during the first of two Under-21 practice matches at the National Indoor Sports Centre on June 18, 2005. Aiken scored 27 goals from 36 attempts. The senior teams renew rivalry later in the opening match of the NCB Sunshine Savers Tri-nation Netball Series. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

The National Indoor Sports Centre will be buzzing with excitement tonight when Jamaica's Sunshine Girls face Trinidad and Tobago, in the opening match of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Sunshine Savers Tri-nation Netball Series, starting at 7 p.m.

"The team is pretty confident and the girls are raring to go. They have been working really hard and they're now in a situation where they are prepared to be the champions in this series," said Annette Daley, assistant coach of the Sunshine Girls.

Daley added that the series is very important because it forms part of their continuous preparation.

"We are not worried about them (T&T), but we have respect for their players and once you enter the court, we will have to acknowledged that these are our opponents and they are coming to win and we have to make sure that we do our best," said Daley.

The Sunshine Girls, who are ranked number four in the world, captured the bronze medal by beating England in the third-place play-off at the last World Championships in Auckland, New Zealand.

However, they later slipped to fourth place on the basis of a new rankings system, as they were earlier beaten 3-0 in a series against England.

The Jamaicans team, which will be captained by goal attack Simone Forbes, also includes four members of the Under-21 squad which is currently preparing for the World Youth Netball Championships to be held in Cook Islands next year.

They are Christina Solmon, Vanessa Walker, Sateva Taylor and Malysha Kelly.

Four-month stint

Also included is prolific goal shooter Romelda Aiken, who is expected to account for most goals.

Aiken recently returned to the island after a four-month stint in New Zealand playing in the semi-professional league for the Queensland Firebirds, where she was voted the top shooter of the tournament.

The other Jamaican squad members are Althea Byfield, Paula Thompson, Nicole Aiken, Sabrina Spence and Tracey-Ann Robinson.

Meanwhile Bridger Adams, coach of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) who are ranked eighth in the world, also expressed confidence going into the encounter.

"We're very confident because we played against the Jamaicans in the AFNA (Americas Federa-tions of Netball Association) Championships and so we know what to expect from them," said Adams.

"We have been practising very hard to counteract their style of play but the advantage that they have on us is that their shooters are much taller than our defenders," she said.

Adams added that her team's preparations have been hampered because of injuries to a number of their key players, who were unable to make the trip.

Not worried

"We are not worried about playing against anybody because what we really want to do is to keep South Africa behind us in ninth position and we are going to try to advance up the table," she added.

T&T will be depending heavily on their experienced trio of captain Rhonda John-Davis, Anastacia Wilson and Janelle Barker, all of whom have participated in three World Championships.

The Sunshine Girls will face South Africa in their next encounter tomorrow evening at the same venue.