Fever sweating on Fowlerreid fitness for big clash

PERTH, Australia (CMC) — West Coast Fever are hopeful Sunshine Girl Jhaniele Fowler-reid will make a full recovery for Sunday’s key match against Sunshine Coast Lightning at RAC Arena here, after she limped out of the season-opener with an ankle injury last weekend.

The 29-year-old had shot a perfect 51 from as many attempts prior to her injury early in the final quarter, and her absence saw Fever lose firepower and narrowly go down to Adelaide Thunderbirds by a single goal.

Fowler-reid has since been active in training and coach Stacey Marinkovich is keeping her fingers crossed about her availability.

“With Jhaniele, she is looking pretty good,” Marinkovich said. “She is moving around quite well at the moment. There is no doubt that she stretched some ligaments, but she is looking OK.”

Fowler-reid, who emerged as last season’s MVP and leading goal-scorer with 783 goals, was one of two injury-blows for Fever in the first game with captain Courtney Bruce also sidelined with a blow to the wrist.

Marinkovich said Bruce was still experiencing soreness but hoped she could join Fowler-reid in returning to action.

“I am hopeful that we can have them both. I have everything crossed,” she said. “It wasn’t the ideal start to the season in terms of injury.”

She added: “She (Bruce) is a bit sore and a bit ginger. We are just hopeful that we will be able to give her time to get some movement and get the pain down.”

Today’s encounter will be a rematch of last season’s final, which was won by two-time reigning champions Lightning.