Also included in the squad is 18 year old Joanne Harten of Harlow, whose superb performances for Mavericks in the Superleague, and England U19 and England A on the international stage this season, have brought her to the attention of the national squad selectors.
 Brownfield and Mentor |
Jo Binns and Asha Tett (23 and 22 respectively) are named for a major senior championships for the first time, following excellent performances for reigning Superleague champions TeamBath and New Zealand side Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic respectively. They join three of their 2005 World Youth championships squad colleagues – Louisa Brownfield, Pamela Cookey and Geva Mentor, in the England squad.
The full England squad to compete at November’s Netball World Championships is (with Superleague teams in brackets): Ama Agbeze (Loughborough Lightning), Karen Atkinson (Mavericks), Jo Binns (TeamBath), Louisa Brownfield (Mavericks), Jade Clarke (Loughborough Lightning), Pamela Cookey (TeamBath), Rachel Dunn (TeamBath), Jo Harten (Mavericks), Geva Mentor (TeamBath), Sonia Mkoloma (Brunel Hurricanes), Amanda Newton (Mavericks), Asha Tett (unattached).
“The new faces in the England squad for the World Championships have more than earned their places,” says Nigel Holl, England Netball’s Performance Director, “after a tough and intensive selection process. Their World Youth Championships experiences will give them an edge in the pressurised situations that they will encounter in Auckland and, added to their knowledge and understanding between each other, built up over several years, could definitely give England the edge in key match situations.
“Coupled with the experienced internationals in the squad, who have all performed extremely well since the squad took bronze in Melbourne at the Commonwealth Games, this England team is hungry for more international success. They have plenty of hard work still to do, but with the support of the remaining squad members, I am confident that England will take to the court in Auckland in the best possible shape.”
“All of the players in the long squad have made this selection process particularly tough and I would like to thank them for their commitment and continued motivation.”
The first challenge for the newly selected England squad will be a Spotlight match against England A, to be played in front of an invited audience at the University of Bath next Saturday (25 August 07). Further Spotlight matches will be played in Sheffield (08 September), Loughborough (29 September) and Hatfield (20 October) before the squad departs for Auckland at the start of November. England’s first game in the World Championships takes place on 11 November against Barbados.
Player information:
Jo Binns Playing position: WA/C
DoB: 06.09.84
Home town: Okehampton
Occupation: Graduate Student
Jo Harten
DoB: 21.3.89 Playing position: GS/GA
Home town: Harlow
Occupation: Student
Asha Tett Playing position: GA/WA/GS
DoB: 20.03.86
Home town: Bath
Occupation: University Student
