Fourteen of the nation’s top netballers have been selected to play in The Co-operative World Netball Series next month.
The selected squad will reunite in the UK and compete together for the first time since February following the ANZ Championships in Australia, the World Seven v Australia and New Zealand and the World Youth Championships in the Cook Islands.
Co-captains - Karen Atkinson will return to the court on 100 caps with Sonia Mkoloma close behind on 82 caps.
Serena Guthrie, Stacey Francis, Eboni Beckford-Chambers and Jo Harten, the youngsters in the England squad, are ones to watch according to National coach Sue Hawkins, “The Co-operative World Netball Series is an opportunity for players to gain international experience on an open court; this can only strengthen our younger players in the squad,” she commented.
England will face Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Malawi and Samoa over the course of three days series at the M.E.N Arena in Manchester. With the combination of a shorter game and new rule changes including shooting from outside the circle and power play for double points, the game is guaranteed to be both exciting and entertaining for players and spectators.
Netball fans can book their seat now at the M.E.N Arena and select an area of the court most suited to them to view the competition, from the England enclosure, Aussie posse, Kiwi corner, Jamaican jamboree, Malawi mezzanine and Samoan sector – all designated fan zones.
Nicola Moloney, event organiser of The Co-operative World Netball Series said: “Now is the time for netball fans to really get behind their home team and show some support for this new innovative game of netball.
“Come and join us next month to see the top six netball nations play under one roof for the first time in history – it’s going to be brilliant!”
England long squad:
GS Louisa Brownfield
GS Rachel Dunn
GS/GA Joanne Harten
GA/GS Pamela Cookey
WA/GA Tamsin Greenway
WA/C Karen Atkinson
C/WD Jade Clarke
WD/C Sara Bayman
WD/C Serena Guthrie
WD/GD Stacey Francis
GD/WD Naida Hutchinson
GD/GK Sonia Mkloma
GK/GD Geva Mentor
GK/GD Eboni Beckford-Chambers
The Final 12 players to compete in The Co-operative World Netball Series will be announced on the 7th October 2009.
The Co-operative World Netball Series is an IFNA Event supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Manchester City Council, England Netball and UK Sport.
For more information about The Co-operative World Netball Series please visit www.worldnetballseries.com.
