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• Tiffany Langley eager to make the most of Fast5 opportunity on Sunshine Girls debut

  Tiffany Langley’s netball journey has been marked by years of dedication, disappointment, and unwavering perseverance.

  So, as she prepares to represent Jamaica for the first time as part of the Sunshine Girls squad to the Fast5 Netball World Series in New Zealand, Langley views her inclusion as a hard-earned opportunity for redemption and a stepping stone toward becoming a staple in the senior setup.

  Langley’s selection for the November 9-10 tournament comes as a welcome reward after years of near misses at the youth level. She has been on the fringes of the national programme since her early teens, as she trained diligently with both the Under-16 and Under-21 teams.

  Yet, despite her efforts, she narrowly missed out on making the final cut for international tournaments—experiences that could have easily derailed a young athlete’s confidence. But for Langley, those setbacks only fueled her desire to push harder and prove herself worthy.

  “This opportunity means everything to me. It’s something I’ve been working towards for years, and I guess I can say my hard work has now paid off because being a part of a national team to represent my country is a dream come true,” Langley shared.

  “Missing out on the Under-16 and Under-21 squads at that point was tough, but I never gave up. So for this opportunity to come at this point in my career, it gives me the confidence that I was lacking before to keep pushing forward, and now I’m excited to see what the future holds for me,” she told SportsMax.Tv.

  

  For Langley, her selection to the Sunshine Girls’ Fast5 squad—a variation of netball known for its fast-paced style and tactical intensity—marks a turning point in her career.

  Though Fast5 is different from the traditional 7-a-side format, the 24-year-old believes the condensed format suits her skill set and will allow her to showcase her versatility on the court.

  “It’s a different game in many ways, but it’s also an opportunity to test yourself under pressure. I’ve been working hard on my speed, agility, and decision-making, and I’m mentally and physically ready to give it my all,” Langley shared.

  “Mentally, I reassured myself that I’m good enough to be a part of this team and capable enough to get the job done. Physically, I am working extremely hard to better my skills in training to ensure that I deliver when I am called upon,” she added.

  Langley, who started her netball journey at Gaynstead High School before transitioning to GC Foster College, believes her story is one of perseverance and resilience, as she is of the view that many athletes, when faced with repeated setbacks, might have opted to hang up their boots. However, the bubbly player’s love for the sport and her dream of representing Jamaica at the highest level kept her motivated.

  Now with the opportunity there for the taking, Langley’s goal is to make a strong impression during the Fast5 tournament to show selectors that she can be a valuable asset for the team in both short and long formats of the game.

  

  If she can deliver on her promise, she hopes this will be the first of many senior appearances.

  “I’m not just happy to be here; I’m determined to make an impact. This isn’t just about making my debut; it’s about establishing myself as a player for the future. I want to be a part of the senior team for years to come, so this is just the beginning. I want to use this chance to learn, grow, and cement my place in the squad,” Langley asserted.

  While they might find the going tough in New Zealand, Langley, a wing-attack, who is set to play centre at the tournament, is confident that the Dalton Hinds and Nardia Hanson-coached team has enough talent to cause some problems.

  “I rate our chances highly. I love the work everyone is putting in at training; I love the camaraderie among us, and I’m so excited to see what this competition has to offer, as I am sure we all want to keep improving to be consistent in making more Sunshine Girls teams,” Langley ended.

• 'We've done really well' - Brook upbeat despite Australia ODI series defeat

  Harry Brook focused on the positives as he saluted England's performances, despite their 3-2 ODI series defeat to Australia.

  Australia clinched a 49-run victory by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in the final ODI in Bristol.

  England had recovered from 2-0 down in the series with Brook, who captained the hosts in Jos Buttler's absence, leading their charge with 110 not out and 87 in the third and fourth ODI respectively.

  Brook (72) and Ben Duckett (107) put on a fantastic 132-run stand on Sunday to set a target of 310, though it proved academic as DLS came into play with the tourists on 165-2 with 29 overs remaining when rain stopped play.

  However, the stand-in skipper believes the experience will benefit him and his team-mates in the long run.

  "It's not just the present now, we're looking long-term," said Brook, who was named the ODI player of the summer.

  "We're trying to build towards the bigger series and competitions. It's a new brand of cricket we're trying to play, and I think we've done that perfectly.

  "Getting out of the power play, we didn't get the wickets we wanted, but outside of that, we've done really well."

  On his own performance, he added: "It's nice to get on the board, score a few runs and contribute to some wins. I haven't played too much, but it's nice to finally get the tempo of ODI cricket.

  "Captaincy has been good. It's something I might think about in the future, but I'll sit back and let Jos do it for now."

• Australia clinch series win over England after rain stops play

  Australia clinched a 49-run victory on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in the final ODI against England to seal a 3-2 series win.

  Having won the third and fourth ODIs to tee up a grandstand finish to the series in Bristol, England started well on Sunday.

  England, inspired by Ben Duckett's second ODI century and Harry Brook (72), looked well set after storming to 202 before the latter was dismissed.

  Yet the hosts slipped from 202-3 to 238-6 in less than 10 overs, with Duckett going for 107, and though Adil Rashid (36) steadied the ship, Australia were set a manageable target of 310 to win.

  In total, eight wickets fell for 107 runs, all of them to spin, with Travis Head (4-28) doing the damage for the tourists, who subsequently set about making inroads into the target.

  Head reached 31 from 26 balls before he was dismissed by Brydon Carse (1-36) in the eighth over, while Matthew Short had plundered his way to 58 by the time he was sent packing in the 13th.

  Steve Smith (36 not out) and Josh Inglis (28 not out) subsequently took control before the rain closed in with Australia on 165-2 with 29 overs remaining, leaving them clear winners once DLS came into play.

  Data Debrief: England's comeback falls short

  The weather ultimately frustrated England, but they only have themselves to blame for another batting collapse. 

  England have slipped to their first defeat in an ODI series of four games or more since a 3-2 loss to South Africa in February 2016, while this loss also snapped a run of three straight 50-over wins at the County Ground.

  Australia, meanwhile, clinched their first win in an ODI series of at least four games since they beat Pakistan 5-0 in 2019.