All hands on deck
Commonwealth Games gold medallists Karen Murphy and Mark Jacobsen will return to the Australian line-up for next month’s crucial Trans Tasman test series against New Zealand in Bundaberg.
Having missed last week eight nation tournament in Delhi, Murphy and Jacobsen, two of the nation’s most experienced campaigners, have been recalled, along with class act Julie Keegan, who was also overlooked for India.
Earlier today (15/4), the Australian selectors made four changes from the side that competed on the sub-continent, with Nelson Bay’s Terry Antram poised to make his international debut, while world number six Brett Wilkie and NSW’s Sharyn Renshaw, Beth Quinlan and Wayne Turley make way for the quartet.
Staged from May 12 to 13, the annual showdown against the Kiwis will be Australia’s final international fixture before naming its team to contest the XIX Commonwealth Games in October.
With that in mind, the onus will be on the incumbents to perform, with Australia desperate to retain its women’s title, while recapturing the men’s and overall trophies that it relinquished in Brisbane last year.
“I guess both nations will be fighting for supremacy,” Australian coach Rex Johnston said.
“Friendships go out the door when Australia plays New Zealand.
“We’ve brought back some experienced names…and Terry also gets his chance to force his way into the (Commonwealth Games) team.”
Played over two days, the series will feature six test matches for both men and women across singles, pairs and triples.
Australia will once again back world number two and three Leif Selby and Kelsey Cottrell in the singles, while Delhi silver medalists Lynsey Armitage and Natasha Van Eldik have been retained in the pairs.
Mark Berghofer will partner world number eight Aron Sherriff in the men’s pairs, while Murphy and Jacobsen will skip Claire Duke and Keegan and Antram and Mark Casey in the triples.
