England Netball set off on road to World Cup at University of Bath
The road to the Netball World Cup starts at the University of Bath on Wednesday night when England take on Trinidad & Tobago.
The first encounter in a three-match Test series will get under way at the Sports Training Village at 7.15pm and will be televised on Sky Sports.
Team Bath Netball defenders Sam Cook and Stacey Francis will both be looking to impress interim England coach Tracey Neville as the countdown to this summer’s World Cup in Australia begins.
And it promises to be an emotional return to the university for former Team Bath Netball captain Pamela Cookey, pictured, who will be making her 100th England appearance.
“It will mean so much to me after all the hard work I’ve put in,” Cookey told BBC Sport.
“It’s also a thank you to my family and friends, for the sacrifices they’ve made for me.”
Sara Bayman, Kadeen and Sasha Corbin, and Rachel Dunn are the other former Team Bath Netball players in the squad for the three-match series, which continues at the Copper Box in London on Friday and the Echo Arena in Liverpool on Monday.
The Sports Training Village has hosted England matches on many occasions in the past, perhaps most famously when Australia were the opponents in January 2013.
A capacity crowd lifted the roof as England recorded an incredible 58-53 victory, only the third time they had beaten the Diamonds. It provided the springboard for a historic 3-0 series win for the hosts against the reigning World Champions.
Tickets for the Trinidad & Tobago match are now on sale at http://tickets.sky.com/Netball/International-Netball-Series
