West Coast Fever midcourter Ashleigh Brazill will make her debut for Australia after being named in the Diamonds squad for the international season. Brazill, who left the NSW Swifts for the Fever this year, impressed the selectors at a four-day camp in Canberra. She is the only player without a Diamonds cap to be named in the 15-person squad.
The five Australian franchises share the representative honours with three players each in the squad. The full Australian squad named is: Natalie von Bertouch (captain – Adelaide Thunderbirds)*, Catherine Cox (vice-captain – West Coast Fever)*, Caitlin Bassett (West Coast Fever), Erin Bell (Adelaide Thunderbirds), Ashleigh Brazill (West Coast Fever), Madison Browne (Melbourne Vixens), Rebecca Bulley (Adelaide Thunderbirds), Bianca Chatfield (Melbourne Vixens), Julie Corletto (Melbourne Vixens), Laura Geitz (Queensland Firebirds), Mo’onia Gerrard (NSW Swifts), Kimberlee Green (NSW Swifts), Natalie Medhurst (Queensland Firebirds), Chelsea Pitman (Queensland Firebirds), Susan Pratley (NSW Swifts). *subject to fitness.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's selectors will name their squad for the autumn internationals this weekend, after an intensive four day training and selection camp for 25 players. Coach Waimarama Taumanu will name the Silver Ferns squad to compete in the Constellation Cup on Monday, with the option of amending the selection for the upcoming Quad Series with Australia, England and South Africa later in the month.
England will be without three of its most experienced players for the forthcoming test series against Jamaica and the Quad Series, after captain Jade Clarke, Sonia Mkoloma and Geva Mentor were left out of the line ups named this week. Mkoloma and Clarke have both made themselves unavailable for the upcoming series, while Mentor could not fully commit to the high performance programme and has been omitted. England Netball has announced three squads this week:
September home series against Jamaica: Ama Agbeze, Rosie Allison, Sara Bayman, Eboni Beckford-Chambers, Pamela Cookey, Kadeen Corbin, Sasha Corbin, Rachel Dunn, Stacey Francis, Jodie Gibson, Layla Guscoth, Serena Guthrie, Jo Harten, Laura Malcolm, Rachel Shaw
October Quad Series in Australia and New Zealand: Ama Agbeze, Rosie Allison, Sara Bayman, Eboni Beckford-Chambers, Sophia Candappa, Pamela Cookey, Kadeen Corbin, Sasha Corbin, Rachel Dunn, Stacey Francis, Jodie Gibson, Layla Guscoth (first half of tour), Serena Guthrie, Jo Harten, Lindsay Keable (second half of tour), Rachel Shaw
Squad for November Fast5 in New Zealand: Eboni Beckford-Chambers, Kadeen Corbin, Rachel Dunn, Stacey Francis, Jodie Gibson, Serena Guthrie, Jo Harten, Lindsay Keable, Laura Malcolm, Yasmin Parsons
After two days of the Diamond Challenge in South Africa, the home side is undefeated with two victories from two games. But after facing a spirited resistance from Zambia, before winning 47-34, the Proteas will need to improve their game significantly before facing the competition's other unbeaten team, Malawi, who were too strong for Botswana 63-29 in their second round encounter. In the absence of Amanda Myndhardt, who is currently playing club netball in New Zealand, South Africa is captained by Zanele Mdodana for the Diamond Challenge tournament, supported by Maryka Holtzhausen as vice captain.
Sri Lanka's 12 member squad for the eighth Asian Netball Championships in Colombo has been announced and ratified by the country's Minister of Sports, Mahindananda Aluthgamage. Co captains Tharjani Sivalingam and Gayathri Lankathilake will lead the squad which comprises Shashika Samarasinghe, Thishala Algama, Semini Alwis, Gayani Dissanayaka, Chathurangi Jayasooriya, Wishaka Jayasooriya, Mareesha Fernando, Samanthi Nilushika, Dammika Malkanthi and Deepika Abeykoon. Hycinth Wijesinghe has been confirmed as coach of the side, while Deepthi Alwis (assistant) and Sue Gaudion (consultant) complete the coaching support team for the competition, which is to be played from 25-31 August at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.
Two coaching changes have been announced for the 2013 ANZ Championships season. Julie Hoornweg has stepped down as head coach of the Melbourne Phoenix, after five seasons in charge. After coaching the Vixens to one premiership and two Grand Finals during her tenure, Hoornweg has decided to take a break from the sport to focus on spending more time with her family. Across the Tasman, a familiar face is to return to a coaching role, with the news that former Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken is to take the head coach's position at the LG Mystics on a one year contract. Incumbent Debbie Fuller has decided to step down from her current role to spend more time with her young family.
Finally, the Netball Development Trust urgently needs volunteer coaches for its second tour of India, which is to take place from 25 October to 10 November. The tour will see NDT return to Bhubaneswar to coach 750 boys and girls from more than six schools across the region: it promises to be an amazing experience which will be unforgettable for the volunteer coaches and children alike. If you would like to volunteer, or require further information, please visit the NDT website at www.netballtrust.co.uk or email [email protected].
