The perennial problem of rain playing the role of the outside umpire visited the opening matches of the 2022 OECS / ECCB International Netball Series which got underway at the Windsor Park hard-court in Roseau, Dominica.
A series of rain-induced stoppages took the sting out of the action packed two matches which were possible, as both Antigua and St. Vincent and the Grenadines secured victories.
Hosts Dominica took on Antigua and Barbuda in the opening game with quarter scores being 12-8, 29-15, 40-21, and 53-24, all in favour of Antigua and Barbuda.
For Antigua and Barbuda goal-shoot Reyana Regis scored 46 out of 57 attempts, with goal-attack Amey Lake scoring 7 out 10 attempts.
Goal-shoot Lisa James scored 17 goals out of 25 attempts, goal-attack Kyla Winston netted 6 out of 10 attempts, while Melissa Williams scored only 1 out of 4 attempts, for Dominica.
In the opening day’s other game played, St. Vincent and the Grenadines defeated St. Kitts and Nevis 62 – 33; quarter scores 14-9, 30-17, 51-25,, final score 62-33.
Scoring for St. Kitts and Nevis, Rochella Challenger netted 23 out of 25; Jewel Thompson scored 1 out of 2 attempts, while Aaliyah Gibson scored 9 of 19 attempts.
For the victorious Vincentians, goal-shoot Mary-Ann Frederick scored 52 out of 60 attempts, and Shellisa Davis netted 10 out of 16 attempts.
The third game of day one action between Barbados and Saint Lucia was postponed to Tuesday morning February 15, 2022 to be played at 7:00 a.m.
Three matches are scheduled for Monday February 14, 2022 the second day of action. From 6:00 p.m. hosts Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines face off on Court one, Antigua and Barbuda will clash with Saint Lucia on Court Two at 6:30 p.m., while on Court One from 7:30 p.m., Barbados will take on St. Kitts and Nevis.
Robertson S. Henry is a multi-time award winning sports journalist from Saint Lucia, currently residing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. His coverage of sporting events both locally and regionally, not just landed him the Sports Journalist of the Year Award on numerous occasions, but recognition from the International Olympic Committee in 2005.
Henry began his fulltime career in journalism with the now defunct Crusader Newspaper in 1994, and worked with the Voice Newspaper until 2007. He established the sports website sportcaraibe, and believes “sports is the fourth pillar in the socio-economic development of the Caribbean.”
Henry has also produced work for a number of regional newspapers including the Trinidad Guardian, Stabroek Newspaper of Guyana, and in 2010 did a photo-shoot of Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke for the Australian Herald.