WATCH: Race for top four places in Superleague reaches climax
Monday 22 May 2017 22:28, UK
Billy Pritchard believes that Loughborough Lightning are on course to win their first Superleague title as the race for positions in the top four starts to take shape.
Wasps secured their top-four place with a victory over Manchester Thunder on Monday night while Loughborough cemented their stranglehold at the top of the table with a convincing 72-51 win over Hertfordshire Mavericks in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Monday night.
Natalie Seaton, despite previously playing for Surrey Storm, is backing Team Bath and Manchester Thunder to pip the Storm to the top four places with three game weekends to come in the regular season.
"Loughborough have already secured their place in the top four and so have Wasps with their victory. I think the other two teams joining them is a really difficult choice but I have to say Manchester Thunder and Team Bath," Seaton told Sky Sports.
"Team Bath is probably the one that people might say why am I picking them but I think they have definitely turned a corner and I think their performances will see them through to the last four."
Loughborough have won 14 out of 15 games during the campaign and have looked a class above their opposition with Pritchard, the former Bath captain, struggling to see how they won't become the eventual champions at finals weekend.
"You have got to look at the results and performances. They started well but they are one of the teams that are holding their performance and actually improving," Pritchard told Sky Sports.
"They have made lots of changes, bringing in Ella Clark to the fold as well which is a huge boost for them and advantage. They are the team to chase and it's unquestionable because they are beating teams consistently and significantly.
"But when it comes to finals weekend you just can't tell what's going to happen."
Follow the action on Sky Sports Mix from 7.30pm next Monday when Surrey Storm travel to face Wasps and if you are out and about follow us @SkyNetball
The regular season league home and away matches run from February to June, culminating in semi-finals and a Grand Final to determine the league champion.
