AFNA Championships Off With A Bang!

There were no surprises on the first playing day of the Americas Federation of Netball Associations Championships being held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  Except for Barbados, who may have fancied their chances against Trinidad, the script read as one would have expected. St. Vincent and the Grenadines showed no hospitality to Canada dispatching them 10-7, 27-11, 42-19 to finally win by a comfortable 20 goal margin 51-30. 

Veteran Skiddy Francis, now Francis-Crick, returned to the goal shooter position for her country.  St. Vincent was well satisfied with their champion shooter's contribution taking her out of the game at the end of the third quarter for Joanna Christopher.

Back to Barbados, my country women made error after error which was indicative of the short time frame in which their started training.  There were not overwhelmed by Trinidad but just did not jell together.  Trinidad was out front from the start 13-10, 26-20, 39-28 and won 49-36. Barbados started with Laurel Browne and Nikita Piggott but changed to Lydia Bishop and Browne at half time.  
Browne was at the goal attack position while Bishop was in at goal shooter.  This to my mind was a mistake.  Bishop likes to honeymoon out of the circle so if both goal shooters had to be in the game, Bishop would 

have been my choice for the goal attack bib.   

Trindad kept their two shooters, Anastascia Wilson and Joelisa Cooper in for the entire game. 

Big guns Jamaica of course won their game but must have been a tad concern when they got of to what can only be described as a dismal start leading St. Lucia just 6-5 in the first quarter.  They righted themselves however in the second quarter and I am sure, the Connie Francis that I remember would have had more than a few choice words for her team.  They came back to put away the Lucians 25-9, 40-18 to complete day one 54-21.