Jamaica's goal attack Ann-Kay Griffiths (second right) catches the ball ahead of England's goal defence Stacey Francis during the opening match of their three-Test Supreme Ventures Sunshine Series at the National Indoor Sports Centre last night. Jamaica won 57-56. Griffths' teammate Janiele Fowler (left) along with England's pair of Tamsin Greenway (right) and Eboni Chambers-Beckford look on. - Ian Allen

Jamaica players Sasher-Gaye Henry (second right) and Paula Thompson tussle for the ball with England's pair of Tamsin Greenway (right) and Jade Clarke during the opening match of their three-Test Supreme Ventures Sunshine Series at the National Indoor Sports Centre last night. Jamaica won 57-56. - Ian Allen

Jamaica Sunshine Girls registered a thrilling 57-56 victory over England at the National Indoor Sports Centre last night to take a 1-0 lead in their three-test Supreme Ventures Sunshine three-Test netball series.

The first period was evenly contested as both teams traded goal for goal at both ends of the court. However, the English ended the quarter with a 15-14 lead.

Coaches Oberon Pitterson and Annette Daley, who were in charge of the team last night, made one substitution at the start of the second period, when they brought on the young and versatile defender Malysha Kelly to replace the tired looking Kameika Sherwood. The move proved to be a good one for the hosts as they dominated the quarter with aggressive play and swift passes and in the process outscoring their opponents (19-13) to take 33-28 lead at half-time.

Goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler was also brilliant for the Sunshine Girls as she netted 17 of her team's 19 goals in the period. Fowler's shooting partner, Ann-Kay Griffiths, netted the other two goals.

In the third period, the Jamaicans were outmuscled by the English, who intercepted a number passes out of the centre court, which they converted on the offensive end through their goal attack Pamela Cookey, who netted 16 of their 18 goals. England went on to outscore Jamaica 18-10 to take a 48-43 at the end of the stanza.

With the small crowd cheering them on, the Jamaicans regained their confidence in the fourth period, as they crippled the English with tight defence, which resulted in eight turnovers by their opponents. They then regained lead at 54-51 with three minutes to go and despite a late run by the English in the dying minutes of the match the locals held on for a nail-biting victory.

Jamaica's Fowler ended the game with 46 goals from 52 attempts and Griffiths nine goals from 17 tries. Pamela Cookey, 31 goals from 36 tries, and Joanne Harten, 25 from 36, scored the goals for England.

"I think it was a good performance from the girls because they showed a lot of guts and determination to win tonight's game," coach Daley said.